Nothing's Going to Change My World
by The one the only PROBIE
Summary: Edward and Angela are two of most unlikely people to ever cross paths and are about to learn how sometimes friendship isn't so simple. This story is an alternate look at Edward's first year at Forks. So naturally there will be no Bella
1. Bitter Beginnings

Different town, Same Jasper:

Edward drove behind Carlisle car in agitated silence. Carlisle wanted to blend in with their 'new' home and thought that driving the speed limit would stop much of the town's curiosity. According to Carlisle a slow procession of needlessly expensive, anonymous, cars wouldn't look in the least bit conspicuous in a small middle class town.

Edward smirked just thinking of what the towns people, they had been passing were thinking. Not that he had to imagine for long. He had already isolated a couple's conversation as he passed. The woman was naturally in awe of the general shine and assumed status of the cars. While the man stood jealously beside her. Edward had not been concentrating on their conversation but he was absolutely sure he heard the man mutter the words "Do you think who ever it is driving that silver ones over compensating for something?" Edward might have been deeply offended if the phrase was in anyway original. Humans could be so predictable. There has never been a single sentence uttered by any human; that Edward had never heard before. Their thoughts were much the same.

The monotony of it all sometimes got to him sometimes. Every day was a maddening repeat of the last with different subject topics. Jasper liked to describe it as "Ground Hog Day" with a twist. Edward sometimes failed to see the twist or the humour for that matter.

As Edward thought of Jasper he had the sound inclination to listen to his thoughts. It wasn't something Edward enjoyed doing, but the silence of his car and his previous thoughts was making the empty void within him all the more painful.

Edward focused on the car in the review mirror. Alice was driving; Jasper had a tendency to drive onto the side walk when he was bored. Of course Jasper would never intentionally hurt anyone and never would. It was more like a game to him; a mixture of the game chicken and bowling. A rather sick game really, but Alice insisted that it wasn't entirely Jasper's fault. Jasper had always found it harder to give up his old ways and his human ten pin bowling was his way of alleviating the tension. Edward couldn't understand how Alice could think that. There was no excuse in the world that could justify Jasper's form of entertainment.

Why he chose Jasper was no mystery. He had promised Alice he would keep tabs on Jaspers mentality and Jasper tended to have one of the least predictable minds in the family. Jasper thoughts were mostly jumped from one topic to another and then back, but it was his wilfulness to entertain any idea in the world was what made him so interesting.

'_I wonder if that Edward will find a mate in this town. 100 years is too long to wait for the right one. I honestly don't know what's wrong with him. Aren't deadly beautiful never to age again vampires good enough for him? He could have had Rosalie, who is most likely most beautiful vampire on earth. Whose beauty is second to none?_

_Man I'm thirsty. Some of these town girls look alright...I could just find one school girl that didn't really appeal to me... ' _

Edward didn't hear the end of Jasper's soliloquy; he already knew how it would end.

A toddler suddenly ran onto the road; instantly followed by an older girl. He abruptly stopped the car immediately, Alice mirrored his action. There was the girl frozen stuck standing in the middle of the road – just inches from his car- clutching onto a squirming toddler. Edward slid out of the car smoothly. The 

girl's eye's screamed in fear –just as they should when encountering his kind-. The toddler continued to squirm but she would not release him. The boy started to scream an ear splitting screech and Edward could hear the girls mental pleadings for him spare them a lecture on road safety. All of this was immaterial to him. He had stopped the car so he could warn Jasper away from thoughts of 'helping' him find a mate, the two mortal's running on to the road at the same time was just a coincidence.

Edward turned away from the unfortunate humans and stalked as slow as he could – for the on lookers benefit- towards Alice's car. Alice motioned to get out of her car, but Edward signalled her to stay. Edward walked over to Jasper's side of the car. He didn't have to read his mind to know what Jasper was thinking, his face told him everything. Jasper wound down the window not daring to meet Edwards glare. Edward towered over him and whispered menacingly "Butt out of my existence!"

He turned away to leave, only to see the girl still dumbly holding the toddler in the middle of the street. It was only now that Edward realized that she wasn't simply restricting the writhing child; but she had somehow- in the split second in which she had run into the middle of the road- had twisted her body to protect the ungrateful thing from Edwards car. Not only that but she had placed her hands protectively over the little boys eyes in the split second in which Edward had turned to face her. He was still fuming over Jasper's thoughts that his glare was only passed onto her.

"Edward? Is everything okay?" Carlisle had parked his car a few meters a head and was now walking towards him. Esme, Rosalie and Emmet were following suit, but did not dare move far from their cars. Edward's face softened into a fake smile and assured the others that everything was fine. He turned back to Jasper with the same icy stare. "When we get to house, we'll go hunting! I don't care how deceived Carlisle is about your eyes."

Those Eyes:

Angela wasn't sure what to think, it had happened all fast. All she knew was that it took only one minor lapse in concentration and he was gone. He'd slipped his hand out of hers and she hadn't noticed until it was too late. Why? Because she wanted to watch the stupid news report on the Middle East in the shop window.

It only took her a second to realize that he had left her side, but to her it would always be a second too late. She spun around wildly looking for him. Her eyes narrowed in on a small boy toddling to the side of the road happily admiring the sheer sheen of the expensive cars passing by. It took another second for her to notice that the little boy had no intention of stopping and neither did the silver Volvo.

That's when all her thoughts went blank. Before she knew it she'd thrown herself over the little boy and shielding him from the impending crash. It was a ridiculous notion to throw ones self in front of in coming car and Angela knew she would pay severely for it. She shut her eye's tight anticipating the horrible pain that would follow. She shut her eyes even tighter and she could feel her body becoming rigid with fear. Her ears began to ring continuously, She gritted her teeth and waited for the sounded of screeching tires. The sound never came. In fact there was no sound at all; just the gasps of witnesses of this monstrosity. There was unexplained warmth seeping through the fabric of her jeans around her knees but she could not feel anything else.

The toddler started to squirm indignantly beneath her. "Angie let go!"

Angela tightened her grip around the boy's waist. "Don't panic Teddy. Everything will be okay." Of course she had no way of knowing this as her eyes were still held shut.

"Let go...the car stop."

Angela's eyes flew open but she did not release the boy. "It stopped?"

"Yeah... let go!"

Angela slowly looked up from the ground to the car, just in time to see its owner open his door. Dread immediately coursed through her. It was obvious that he was going to yell at them for being so careless. She didn't really care about his abuse it was more the effect the man's words would have on Teddy. Nothing she was feeling at that moment could prepare her for what was to come.

Her first thought was how unnaturally and perfectly handsome he was. It was his inhuman perfection that shocked her to the core. Of course it was more than that. She couldn't understand how his skin could be so pure white and yet he still surpassed any notion of beauty. But all these wondrous oddities were nothing in comparison to his eyes. It was like he was wearing a set of liquid gold contact lenses, though they were much too real to be contacts. All his feature's were so absurdly beautiful that she felt compelled to step closer to him in order to inspect him further. In fact she doubted that she would have any qualms in leaving young teddy in the middle of the road and go anywhere with the handsome strange, if he asked her too.

An icy chill ran down her spine. Angela had never been a particular compliant girl when it came to strangers. Nor had she ever been so irresponsible as to let Teddy out of her sight for more than a few second. The thought was not only ludicrous but terribly frightening; it went against every fibre of her being. She now desperately wanted to pick Teddy up and run as far as possible away from the silver Volvo, but she was paralysed with a disability fear. The best she could do was drawing Teddy closer to her. She was no longer attempting to protect the struggling boy from the man and his car; she was trying to stop herself from giving into the strange power the man had over her.

Luckily for Angela the stranger's power didn't last long. In a lightening fast movement his glare moved from her to the car behind. Angela exhaled in relief. The minute he turned away; Angela slowly regained her senses. She slowly loosened her grip on Teddy but only to tighten them once more, as the man had turned around to face her once more. His gaze was so vicious that she feared Teddy scream out of fright, so she covered his eye's as best she could; though she herself could not find the strength to look away from the man's perfection.

A man called out behind her and she felt compelled to see where such an appealing voice had come from. She soon wish she hadn't as four equally as attractive people moved away from there cars. One, a girl, who couldn't be more than nineteen, was easily the most beautiful of them all but her haughty demeanour immediately detracted from her overall appearance. The whole scene was too bizarre for Angela to comprehend. For a split second she thought she had somehow been caught in some mad, mafia for impossibly beautiful people. It appeared that the eldest looking man – who could be more than in his early thirties- was the leader, but of what she couldn't say.

The eldest man and the one with silver car exchanged words but Angela wasn't listening intently enough to make sense of what they said. Angela's eyes darted anxiously from the eldest man to the other, but no matter how hard she tried she could not move from her position. They finished their conversation and the younger man turned back to red car. Angela had been so transfixed on the first man that she jumped out of fright when she felt a cool hand on her shoulder. Teddy fell to the ground.

"Are you and your little friend okay?" Angela turned to the man who had been talking to the other.

Her eye's widened when she saw his ochre coloured eyes. Something told her to run but those eyes kept her exactly where she was. Once again the hypnotic orbs gave her the feeling that if this man asked she would go anywhere with him, regardless of sense or responsibility. Although something in his eyes reassured her that he never would. There was something safe about them. Despite their colour there was even something human to his eyes.

The man bent down to take the hand of an uncontrollably, crying Teddy. Angela instinctively seized Teddy and pulled him closer her away from the man. His eye's said she could trust him, but that didn't mean she would. It only took Angela a second to realize that she had fallen quite heavily on the road, with her back pressed awkward up against the bonnet of the silver Volvo. She had gathered Teddy up in her arms and was glaring furiously at the man. The man sighed patiently and rummaged around in his pocket. He with drew a laminated name tag that read 'Dr. Cullen'. "I know, this must be very confusing for you- and you have no reason to trust me- but I think you and your little once may be in shock. Now would you please allow me to walk you to the sidewalk, so I can make sure you and your little friend are okay?" He smiled warmly and held out a smooth, white hand.

As Angela walked home that day, she could barely believe all that had happened. It was all too surreal to be true. Teddy running onto the street directly in front of an expensive, silver car, herself stupidly throwing herself into the line of fire, -the towns people had hailed her a hero, but if she had been paying attention such an incident wouldn't have happened.-, the owner of the silver Volvo's steely glare and then his complete apathy for there existence, his and companions inexplicable beauty. All these events were barely believable on their own, but for them to happen all at once; were nearly impossible.

Angela was so caught up in her own thoughts that she had barely taken note were she was heading and before she knew it she was stepping over the thresh hold of her front door. Teddy ran excitedly into the kitchen were he knew his mother would be. He was going to show her the bag of treats Angela had bought him. To him it meant a sugar high. To Angela it was a 'sorry for almost getting you run over' present. A small token of apology that Angela knew would not quiet be enough. It would never be enough.

She slowly unbuttoned her raincoat, before slowly placing it on the coat rack. She barely had time to think of her next movement before she heard the clumsy rattling of Tyler's car pulling up. Angela opened her gauzed door to meet Tyler on the porch. Tyler –in his excitement- miscalculated Angela's movement and nearly ran straight into. He stepped back slightly embarrassed, but still carrying his enthusiastic smile, that Lauran loves so much.

"Sorry, hi, my brother just called me –on my mobile- and told me that you totally saved your little cos.-well done by the way- And you also forced that new family to get out of their fancy cars."

"Well I wouldn't say forced. They really got out of their cars on their own accord-"

"What ever. I heard the blonde chick was hot. Could you get me her number?"

Angela sighed and closed the door behind her before she went to sit on the top step of the porch. Still overwhelmed with everything that had happened; she placed her head in her hands. Tyler's expression dulled to a frown behind her. - She didn't have to look to know this. She'd always had keen sense of empathy of others emotions. It was almost a sixth sense. - Tyler sat down beside her and patted her soothingly on the back.

"I'm sorry. I just got so caught up in the moment. It was the comment about the smoking hot blonde that's gotten you down isn't it?"

Tyler on the other hand was not so gifted in that department. Angela shook her head slowly. Afraid that if she shook her head any faster it would snap off and reveal the insanity inside. Tyler opened his mouth as if to say something but as if he'd decided against it and sighed. His hand had stopped patting her back but he'd absentmindedly left it there. Angela didn't mind, his hand was comfortingly warm in comparison to the hand Dr. Cullen had used to help her up. Tyler looked away from her seemingly looking for a topic of conversation. He turned back to her, his enthusiastic smile now to the place of his frown.

"Tell me about this new family. The Cullinses?"

"Cullen's" Angela corrected.

"Yeah them, what was the first thing you noticed about them?"

Angela looked away for a moment. A million features came to mind but the only one that stayed was the unnaturally liquid gold, but strangely beautiful eyes.


	2. Sweet Relief

Running Scared:

The minute Edward and his family arrived at their new home it rained. Everyone sprinted into the house a break neck speed, everyone except Edward. In fact he barely moved at all. He just stood there as still as a statue with a fixed gaze on the surrounding forest. He couldn't explain it but there was something suffocating and isolating about the lush, green trees that formed a perfect circular fence around his new home.

Home, it had been along time since Edward had felt at home anywhere. This place was a house not a home, not yet. He wasn't like the others. He couldn't just move from place to place and feel no loss. He'd never admit it to any of them, but in the earlier days –after Carlisle found Esme- he had reserved a certain degree of hope for finding his other half. When he was younger he had secretly hoped with each town they moved to that he would find her and each time they left his disappointment would become almost unbearable. He couldn't understand how everyone else found it relatively easy to find their match and yet for him, it was so much harder. Eventually he just gave up hope of ever finding her and took comfort in the weak thought that he didn't need her.

"Oh no, I hate it when Edward get's like this. I should go talk to him." muttered Alice to jasper. She was well inside the large house but, Edward heard just as clearly as if she was standing beside him. Edward felt a surge of anger course through him. He didn't want anyone to talk to him. He didn't need anyone to talk to him about his pain. He didn't need anyone.

Before he could stop him self he took of in the pouring rain; sprinting away from the house and onto the main road. He was running so fast that the rain ceased to fall upon him and he was soon dry in seconds. In another second he found himself in the middle of a suburban street. He stopped abruptly in middle of that street, the rain stopped also as if his abruptness had anything to do with the weather. He looked at his surroundings. The sun had already set and for humans, the night hid most of the streets features; but he could everything just as clearly as if it were day time. It was an ordinary enough street, with nicely manicured lawns and a few gym sets scattered around; suggesting the presence of young, innocent, defenceless children. He supposed the children in this street were much like the one that silly girl stupidly was trying to protect from him earlier this day.

He could hear a guitar being energetically strummed from the house to the left of him. The music wafted out from the only window on the third story house, accompanied by a sweet, but not overly talented female voice. Of cause no human voice was talented, not after he'd heard Alice sing. Her voice was oddly soothing, despite the fact that she was singing a Beatle's classic. For a while the music made him forgot all his pain. Though still somehow, hearing her sing wasn't enough. He needed to know what was going on inside, her mind.

Edward cleared his mind, concentrating solely on the window were the sweet music was coming from. He soon doubled back with surprise at what he saw. Suddenly the slightly altered words to the songs took on another meaning. 'Fallin' yes, I am fallin' and he keeps calling me, back again.' But how she knew he was here, he couldn't understand. Yet there she was singing simply with the idea in the back of her mind that he was somewhere near her. He took a few silent steps towards the house in an attempt to see how much more of her psyche he could unravel.

"I have never known the likes of this," Her words became slightly uneasy as if she could hear him step forward.

Her mind jumped from just the image of him to pure fear, fear of his presence. It was impossible. No human should be able to detect their presence and fear it at the same time. He took a few more silent steps until he was directly under her window. The music stopped abruptly. The girls mind raced, with a million of what she thought to be irrational thoughts. Edward could hear her carefully set her guitar to the side. He could hear the blood pumping furiously in her veins. He knew what she would do next, and was gone before her hand even left the neck of her guitar.

Tyler:

The day after the Cullen's arrived, Tyler visited Angela again. Of course this time it was not a surprise. After she'd told him about the Cullen's and he finally saw the reason for her detached self, he'd suggested that they should have some one on one time. Just like when they were kids. They had been friends since kindergarten, but since starting high school they had found it increasingly harder to reconnect with each other. Especially when Tyler had gone through the 'I'm a guy, your a girl, so we can't be friends' stage.

Tyler arrived five minutes early than they had planned, so Angela wasn't exactly ready to 'hang out' when he arrived. Though she supposed that she should have been glad that it was five minutes early than an hour late – Tyler often had trouble following deadlines-. The door bell rang energetically to signal his arrival and Angela had to quickly run to the front door to stop his incessant ringing.

Angela cautiously opened the door –ever since the Cullen's had arrived she had and awful feeling that something was lurking just around the corner-, but soon relaxed once she saw that it was just Tyler. He was standing with his guitar slung coolly over his shoulder.

"You ready, for our jam session?" He asked excitedly as he stepped over the threshold over her house. Angela moved to allow him entrance.

"Sure I'll just go get Jude." And with that Angela quickly ran up stairs to get Jude from her bedroom smiling slightly. It only took her a second to gather Jude and a pick together and before she knew it she was back down stairs. Tyler hadn't moved an inch.

"Wow! How do you do that?" He asked incomplete awe.

"How do I do what?"

Tyler pointed dumbly at the guitar under her arm. "How do you manage to make carrying something as cool as a guitar look, so not?"

"Shut up." Retorted Angela with mock anger as she made her way outside. "Besides it's not about how cool you look carrying the guitar, its how you play it."

Tyler followed her out to the group of chairs on the porch. "Oh! That's deep mind if I use it on the 'ladies'?" Tyler's voice purposely grew deeper as he said the word 'ladies'. It made Angela laugh, something she hadn't done in a while.

"You're such a fool." Chortled Angela as she took Tyler's guitar and tuned it properly.

"Well as long as you'll still have me, I don't mind." He counted cheekily.

There was an awkward moment when Angela handed him back his guitar. Where he'd touched her hand and she accidently caught his gaze. What she saw in them wasn't quite what she expected. It made her uncomfortable and embarrassed. Yet she was sure that bringing attention to this situation would cause even more embarrassment for the both of them. The moment seemed to drag on for forever and Tyler showed no sign of ending it.

Eventually Angela cleared her throat and moved awkwardly to avoid Tyler's gaze.

"So... umm have you spoken to Lauren lately? You know she's looking quite pretty now that she's back from her summer vacation in Hawaii. Can you believe we only have a week before we go back to school?" She enquired quickly. It was the only subject she could think of.

Tyler seemed slightly put off. "Err yeah, scary and in answer to your first question yes I have spoken to Lauren. We were meant to do something today but she'd cancelled on me yesterday." He paused, looking guiltily at his pick. "She called just before my brother did." He added quickly.

Angela nodded nervously, while subconsciely fiddling with the pick in between her fingers. "So arr... do you want to learn how play 'I wanna' hold your hand'? I mean um 'You and Me' or 'For You I...' oh Fudge."

Tyler looked at her curiously. "How about 'If It Were Up To Me' by Rooney? Do you think I'm up to that kind of song yet?"

Angela doubted that he was but she was so desperate to stop the irrational thoughts in her head that she would have tried to teach him to play like Jimmy Hendrix's if she thought it would help.


	3. Temptation

Edward's Songbird:

As Emmet drove into the Fork's High School parking lot, Edward knew that his first day at Fork's school would start the same way as it had always started for the past 90 years.

Emmet turned off the ignition and Edward slipped out of the car without thinking. Immediately his mind was bombarded with the ridiculous human's exclamations of surprise as he and his family revealed themselves. Emmet coolly leaned on the bonnet of his car and casually nodded towards a group of girls sitting on the benches adjacent to the school. The girls swooned and Rosalie smacked Emmet on the shoulder.

Then Edward heard her again. The girl who seemed to dull his loneliness was singing once more. Ever since he'd heard her that night, he had returned once more. Just to sit under her window and pretend that what ever it was that made him feel so hollow didn't exist. She knew he was there of course, he could hear it in her voice. This didn't bother him though, her singing voice always had the same effect regardless of the amount of fear she felt and that was all that mattered to him. As long as she kept singing, he would return to her window.

Edward could hear the girl's footsteps become more hesitant as they drew closer to the school Entrance. The girl stopped for a moment– probably the smartest move she will ever make in her whole life - to contemplate whether school was worth all the anxiety. A moment later and she unknowingly decided that her education was more important than her own life. Though she found a weak consolation in singing softly, the minute she had begun to sing, the hollow feeling inside him vanished.

She was now only a few steps away from the School entrance. Edward felt what could have been excitement at the prospect at being in such close proximity, to what he had nicknamed 'his songbird'. That was a bad sign. He shouldn't have wanted to be so close to a human, least of all give them a nickname.

This caused him to feel a much stronger emotion of self hatred than his previous excitement. How could he have been so stupid as to allow himself to give the girl such a nickname? She wasn't his anyway, she would never be his; as long as her fear of him and his family remained, she would always be out of reach. Edward took consolation in the idea that she may already be taken, by another silly human boy and in him denying himself of his one little relief would be a noble act. Though the thought that some other human even being near her, caused a surge of jealousy to course through is long since empty veins. He couldn't stop himself from thinking that she was **HIS **songbird and no one else deserved to have her.

She was inches away from the gate now, so Edward turned in her direction so he could be the first to sight 'his songbird' – he no longer tried to refer to her as anything else-. His eye's searched hungrily for her appearance at the gate. Finally she appeared, her light brown, shoulder length hair dancing delicately about her face as the autumn wind bellowed past. When she looked up and saw that he was looking at her, her singing stopped immediately and he could hear her heart skip a beat before it began to pound erratically with in her. There was a moment were she appeared to be locked in his possessive gaze, before she clumsily stepped away from the school gate. Her mind began a mantra of _"I'm going to die. He's probably still angry about the whole car incident. I'm going to die." _

"Edward." A nervous Alice whispered. "I know you hate every first day at school, but I think you're scarring her." She very lightly touched his shoulder in her usual sisterly way.

Edward broke his gaze from the girl to look at Alice's worried face before turning back to girl, who sprinted past towards what she thought would be the safety of the school.

The first lesson of the day was English. It had barely started, before he found himself the object of a particularly short and curly haired brunet's affection. She no longer showed any interest in what her friends had to say and her mind had soon become fogged with fantasies of him stopping her after class, only to talk to her.

The lesson was just about to start when Edward's 'songbird' reluctantly made her appearance again. She stopped in the middle of the class room looking for an available table to sit at. Her eyes glanced over the empty chair beside him several times, but made no sign that she intended to sit there.

The girl with the curly hair and her friend began to quarrel.

"Look I'll sit next to him. You didn't see who frightened she was this morning." Hissed the brunet.

"Oh sure, you'd like that wouldn't you, Jess? You come off looking the hero and get the boy too. I'll sit next to him" Snapped the other.

"This is ridiculous." Whispered Jess exasperatedly, before standing up. "Hey Angela! You can sit here and I'll move."

The teacher eye's flicked up towards Jess. She exhaled noisily through her nostrils before saying. "You will do no such thing Miss Stanley. Sit back down." Jess did as she was told and the teacher turned her attention to Edward's songbird. "As for you Miss Weber, will you please behave like the upstanding, young, woman your father claims you are and take the _only_ available seat."

After a few more seconds she finally relented and sat begrudgingly beside him, but made no move to strike up a conversation with him when the teacher turned her back on them. This suited Edward, just because he yearned to hear her sing didn't mean he wanted to form an actual relationship with her. When the lesson it was she who was the first to jump up and quitted the room. This amused him greatly and if she continued to act in this manner Edward was sure that this year's English class could be mildly tolerable.

Edward didn't see his songbird again until lunch time, as he had no other classes with her. Even at lunch he saw very little of her, for the minute she became aware of his and his family presence was the minute she left. He sighed, apathetically. If she was expecting him to follow her, she would be greatly disappointed. However he had no qualms in reading her mind. He was soon met with a bombardment of horridly distorted images of himself. She was the only one out of the whole town who could see him for the monster he was and always will be. The images were hauntingly accurate and Edward could feel his own self disgust rising sluggishly from the pit of his stomach. The images refused to dislodge themselves from her mind until finally the images became blurred and eventually his songbirds mind went black.

Edward jumped up from his seat. His siblings looked at him curiously. He didn't bother explaining where he was going to them and smoothly weaved his way through the crowd of students, to the front courtyard. There he found his songbird unmoving, on the deserted concrete of the under croft. She lay defenceless. Edward knew it would take was one small bite and she'd be his songbird forever.

Edward could feel the venom seep into his mouth with anticipation. Carlisle would understand one hundred years without a mate is a long time, too long. He advanced upon the fragile, young girl and 

knelt reverently beside her. He knew if he was ever to turn an innocent person, it would have to be her. Her scent was so weak, even for his senses and held no promise of her blood having any flavour. He slowly bent his face down toward her neck. His cool breath gentle caressing the skin on her neck, she did not stir.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard the thoughts of one of the boys in his math class. _"There's just something about Angela that's just so... I don't know. It's probably because she's the minister's daughter. There's something unobtainable about a ministers daughter."_ Edward jerked his head away from her. He couldn't possibly change her now. To change an innocent person is one thing, but to change a daughter of a priest was a crime against God. He cursed God for bringing her to him, for her healing voice and for putting him a position of temptation. Why did everything in his existence have to be such a trial?

For a moment Edward felt a mixture of desperation and furry and in this moment he rashly did what he knew he would soon regret.

Mind over Matter:

It was four o'clock in the morning when Angela awoke from her restless slumber. Ever since the Cullen's had arrived in Forks, Angela had found it increasingly hard to sleep and actually stay asleep. She couldn't shake the feeling that something dark and foreboding had just invited itself into her sleepy town and somehow the Cullen's had something to do with it. She just didn't why she suspected them, after all Dr. Cullen seemed nice. And yet, she couldn't think of Dr. Cullen without shivering involuntarily.

Angela lay in her bed until five, and then she got ready for school. She looked out of her window to see the usual grey sky. She sighed to herself "Looks like its going to be a great first day."

It was only a short walk from Angela's house to her high school; so she should have been at school in five minutes. The minute she stepped outside the safety of her house, the fear she had felt so many times since the Cullen's arrival returned, no it was fear it was shear terror.

Angela chocked down her fear, closed the front door and started to walk in the direction of her school. She slowly willed herself put one foot in front of the other. And breath that was another human function she had to remind herself to do. To enforce the notion that breathing was essential she began to hum quietly to herself.

Her fear soon grew too great for her to bear. She knew she was being ridiculous, the most dangerous thing at her school was Lauren and her venomous words. And Lauren was generally nice as long as she wasn't provoked. Angela knew she had nothing to worry about and she was just being a silly little girl. Then if she was being so silly why had she started hyperventilating?

She could feel her consciousness slipping away from her and it took all her strength to calm herself. She was convinced that she would not let her irrational fears get the better of her. She started to walk once more except this time she wrapped her arms around herself and did the only thing that ever kept her sane, she began to sing.

"Pools of sorrow waves of joy are drifting thorough my open mind possessing and caressing me. Jai guru deva om , Nothing's gonna change my world."

'Nothing's going to change my world.' whispered Angela determinedly to herself, as she stepped closer to the school entrance. Then she looked up and saw his perfect form. There he stood his liquid gold eye's glaring back at her. She doubled back petrified at his appearance, she wanted to look away but his eyes held the same magic they had a week ago. She was sure the only reason for him to be glaring at her like this was because of an incident she'd caused a week ago. And now she was sure he would find some way to make her pay for it.

Finally his inexplicably beautiful sister – she assumed, although they looked nothing a like – muttered something to him that broke his gaze. Angela took the opportunity to sprint through the parking lot and into the open doors of the school. But she didn't stop running once she was inside.

She ran through the corridors frantically dodging any obstacle that came her way. She heard her best friend Jess call out to her as she sprinted past but she didn't stop. Not until she found the toilet doors. She threw her shoulder against the door with so much force that she fell heavily on the tiled floor, when the door gave way easily. A person called out above her and Angela quickly pulled herself up, before hastily hurling herself into one of the toilet cubicles and locking the door. She shakily sat down on the toilet seat and wrapped her arms around her knees as she heard footsteps squeak on the tiled floor.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" screamed Angela unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Angela?" Called Jess apprehensively, her shoe's squeaked noisily as she moved towards Angela's Cubicle.

Angela stayed silent. She just sat there silently, unable to do anything else but breathe and appreciate the false sense of security the walls surrounding her provided.

It took Jess a good fifteen minutes to finally coax Angela out of the toilet cubicle. Angela only agreeing to leave her sanctuary If Jess promised, that he and his family where most likely older than sophomore year and would therefore have very little to do with them.

She clung on to the hope that Jess had planted all the way to English class, in which it very quickly disintegrated. He was there, he and his two siblings. Angela soon found that she had an impossible choice to make. Run and hide once more or face her fear. She couldn't stand the idea of running away like a coward and that was probably what he would have wanted if he knew or cared that she was there.

She soon –not with out great anxiety though- decided that she would not let him beat her. Her burst of courage didn't last her long. She had only made it to the middle of the class room before she was paralysed by the realization that there was only one seat left. Her mind drew a blank for a moment and before she knew it, her English teacher was urging her to take the only available place left. Seeing no other option Angela obeyed.

By lunch time Angela had only just recovered from English. Angela was pleased to find that he and his family would not be in any more of her classes and so was in much better state of mind when Jess joined her at their lunch table.

"I honestly don't know what you're so worried about, Angela," chirped Jess cheerily as she sat down. "He didn't look the least bit interested in you in English."

Angela's stomach churned uneasily.

"Yeah, and as if he'd be interested in you. You're so plain." added Lauren confidently joining Jess on the other side of the table.

"It's not him being interested in me I'm worried about." Angela murmured through gritted teeth.

Jess looked at Angela puzzled. "I doubt he wants to kill you Ange. He doesn't seem like the type who would kill. Besides there could be worst ways to die, I mean at least his beautiful face would be the last thing you'd ever see. Worst things could happen."

Angela shivered at the thought. She couldn't think of anything worst.

Angela suddenly noticed Jess's face suddenly glaze over. Lauren stared blindly around to see what had Jess so transfixed, before an oddly warm smile crossed over her features.

"Oh, those Cullen boys are even hotter than I remember."Angela gaped at Lauren and Jess for a moment before she felt the all too familiar feeling of the hairs on her arms standing on end. She didn't have to turn around to know what this meant.

"I have to go." exclaimed Angela hurriedly backing up her lunch and rising from her seat. She kept her eye's down and quickly ran from the lunch room. She heard Tyler call out his usual enthusiastic hello to her and then a somewhat smoother "How you doing?" to the Cullen girls.

She didn't stop until she reached the front courtyard of the school. She found one of the steal pillar's that held up the roof of the under croft and leant her forehead against it. At first the pillar's coolness and strength felt reassuring against her brow. She closed her eyes desperately trying to remember a time before she knew of the Cullen's, but all she ever saw was the man's sadistic eyes glaring back at her. For a horrifying moment the cool, steal, strong pillar wasn't the pillar at all. For a moment it had materialized into the perfect, strong, form of the man who haunted her dreams. It all became too much for her to handle and her small fifteen year old frame finally gave way to the sweet relief of unconsciousness.

When Angela finally awoke she was met by the worried eyes of the school nurse. Almost simultaneously an intense throbbing began on the back of her head. She drew her left hand up to nurse the pain, but the nurse quickly eased her arm back to her side.

"Angela dear, what happened?" Questioned the nurse in a motherly tone –she had always had a soft spot for Angela-.

Angela's eye's darted towards the door and back at the nurse. She tried to sit up, but her entire body felt stiff, as if she had spent a great deal of time on the flat, cool, concrete outside. The nurse's eye's narrowed anxiously. "Angela, say something?"

"How did I get here?"

The nurse's face relaxed and smiled warmly. "You'll have to thank Edward Cullen for that. He found you passed out on the concrete and alerted one of the teachers."

Angela felt a quick shot of panic shoot through her. The nurse smoothed out a crease on the bed. "Lovely looking boy," She mused more to herself than Angela. "He seemed to know you quiet well. Did you to meet in music class?"

"No!"

"I'm sorry I just, assumed you must have because when he was in here before-"

Angela felt a wave of nausea. "He was in here?"

"Of course, who else was going to tell your students and teachers where you are? Any way when he thought I wasn't listening, he kept calling you 'songbird'. Was that it?" She cocked her head to the side for a moment. "Yes, he was definitely calling you 'songbird'. Cute nickname, have you had it long?"

Angela could feel her eye's well up with tears. It was all too confusing, how could he be the cause for her anxiety and her saviour? Angela rolled onto her side, away from the nurse and drew up her knee's so she could hug them.

The nurse lightly touched her shoulder. "Angela? Dear?"

"I want to go home."


	4. Slipping away

Tyler strikes Again:

"Angela." called a distant voice carefully drawing her out from her dreaming.

Angela drowsily pulled the blankets tighter around herself, refusing to wake. For Angela the dream world was far safer place to be than any reality.

"Angela, you can't go on like this." The owner of the footsteps drew closer to the foot of her bed. Still Angela refused to let the voice have any affect on. The voice seated it's self on her bed. Angela furrowed her eyebrows but was still determine to pretend that the voice didn't exist.

Then a hand gently stroked the side of her face. "Angela please, we need you. I need you."

Angela's heart skipped a beat as her eyes flew open; too see her mother's worried face. For a moment the hand that had touched her was not her mother. For moment the hand had been cold and smooth, not warm like her mothers. Angela had not quite heard the words her mother had said. What she heard was "Songbird please, I need you."

Her mother continued to stroke the side of Angela's face lovingly. Unable to handle such a form of human contact Angela uncharacteristically seized her mother's wrist. Angela's eye's widened in shock. Her mother wrenched her wrist away before continuing the movement once again. "You can reject me all you want Angela, but that will just make me all the more determined."

Her mother's eye's searched the room. Her mother rose from her seat on the bed. "Why do you have the blinds drawn so tight?" She mused, before gently pulling at the string.

"Mum no!" Screamed Angela abruptly sitting up, but it was to late Angela couldn't hide from what ever it was any longer.

Her mother looked innocently out the window, ignoring Angela's plea. "Look Angela it's a beautiful day. Quite unusual for Forks though. We very seldom have a clear sky in autumn." She turned back to Angela. "Look I know its Friday and you haven't been at school because of your little fainting spell. But I really do think that what ever it was has passed and its time to get back into the swing of things. All this hiding out at home isn't good for a girl your age."

Angela stared at her mother. She was smiling encouragingly, but Angela could see the worried expression her mother was desperately trying to hide. "Please Angela; I know the doctor said that you could have a temporary change personality, but four days? You're stronger than that."

Angela could feel her eyes well up with tears again. It hurt her to see her mum worry, especially about her. She was suppose to be the child that no one worried about because they could always to do the right the thing, no matter what and now thanks to few minor mishaps; she was going to throw that all away. She couldn't do that to her mother.

Angela swallowed hard and forced herself to nod. Her mother sighed with relief and threw herself upon Angela. "Thankyou, Teddy's going to be so happy to have his favourite cousin back."

Angela didn't return the embrace but her lack of affection didn't seem to faze her mother. She then abruptly pulled away, to look at Angela. "Oh by the way, I'm going to Port Angeles this afternoon, so I sort of already planned a little afternoon shopping trip for you, Jess and Lauren. Don't worry, you three can walk about the place by yourselves. I'm just your lift."

Angela was bitterly pleased to find that the Cullen's and her enigmatic saviour were not at school that day. Although she was eager to know the reason for their sudden disappearance, she didn't dare ask out of fear that Jess would spring into her now very common 'let me tell you everything that has to do with Edward Cullen' rants. She had already become even more captivated by him when Angela reluctantly told her about his gallant act. Luckily she spent a whole school day without Jess mentioning him or any of the Cullen's. This caused Angela to feel a mild sense of enthusiasm towards the Port Angeles Shopping trip.

It was only a short drive to Port Angeles. Before Angela could second guess her readiness to face a slowly darkening sky, she was out of the car and animatedly listening to Lauren and Jess's idle gossip. Jess said something about her uncle proposing to his now fiancé and how she thought he was joking. This reminded Angela of the Jane Austen novel "Sense and Sensibility" to which she had the misfortune of announcing that the male leads name was Edward.

Jess who had been obviously busting to tell Angela every small piece of information she had gathered about Edward Cullen, could no longer contain herself. She rambled on for a good half an hour on how she had been sitting next to him every, English lesson and definitely thought there was some tangible chemistry between them. According to Jess Edward was the strong, silent, struggling musician filled with inner turmoil and had hidden depth type of guy and apparently Jess had always been drawn to that specific persona.

This was more than Angela could take the mere mention of Edward let loose a series of images she had been desperately trying to suppress. Angela stopped abruptly in the middle of the side walk. Her breathing had become short and shallow. She closed her eyes desperate to shut out the highly improbably events that played before her minds eye, but they only became more vivid. She knew the images couldn't be true. It was just her imagination twisting facts and playing on her fears. Edward was the one who found her. He'd helped her. Yet she couldn't rid her thoughts that when he may have learnt over her to check her vitals, he may have intended to do something far worse. Then there was the cool hand that felt like hard marble against her cheek. Angela gripped her sides in an attempt to keep herself together. She could feel herself quickly loosing grip on reality.

Jess and Lauren hadn't noticed Angela's panic attack which was becoming rapidly more intense, as they were caught in a great debate over who was the hottest Cullen brother. Lauren was the first to notice Angela sudden distance. She had turned around to ask Angela's opinion on Tyler's guitar skills and how they might compare to what ever instrument Edward most definitely played.

Lauren ran back to Angela – who was now kneeling on the pavement, desperately trying to breathe-.

Jess soon followed after, she through her arms around Angela. "Angela I'm so, sorry... I forgot and I guess I thought seeing as you seemed to be doing so well, that you'd be able to handle my silly, love sick rants."

Jess's arms felt comfortingly warm around Angela and she soon found it easier to breathe. Angela and Jess remained motionless in the street for what seemed like an eternity until Lauren interrupted the tranquillity.

"Angela, don't take this the wrong way, but you have some major issues to deal with."

Jess looked up irritated. "That's a horrible thing to say."

This made Angela laugh, although it was more hysterical than joyful. She then found the strength to pick herself of the ground.

Jess copied her action, looking tentatively at her, as if she was expecting Angela to fall into a heap again.

"Are you okay? Is there anything we can do?" Questioned Jess worriedly.

Angela began to slowly walk forward. "Yeah, don't tell mum about what just happened."

Lauren and Jess nodded in agreement. "

"Now can we talk about something else?"

Jess nodded solemnly and Lauren quickly strode up to Angela's side. "I just remembered that I forgot to ask what you did in the last week of the summer vacation. So what did you do?"

Angela smiled appreciatively. "On Tuesday Tyler came over and I helped to tutor him a bit with his guitar playing techniques."

Lauren stoped. "Tuesday?"

"Arh... Lauren I think we just established that." quipped Jess, obviously still angry at Lauren's previous statement.

"I was meant to see Tyler on Tuesday before he cancelled on me."

Angela stopped to face Lauren. "Tyler told me you cancelled on him."

"I think I'd remember if I cancelled on someone." Snapped Lauren icily. "When did you two decide to have your 'little jam session'?"

Angela stepped away from Lauren. It was obvious to Angela what had happened. "Umm... He came to see me at about five. So... I guess about five thirty, he suggested the idea."

"Oh that's convenient. Considering that Tyler called me up at six to tell me he couldn't go to the movies."

Angela winced and Jess stood silently trying get between Lauren.

"Lauren I-I didn't know. I... I swear... he told me that you had already cancelled on him."

"Oh look! There's Mrs Weber! Hi Mrs Weber!" Screamed Jess in a forcefully excited tone as she over exaggeratedly waved Angela's mother over. "Time to go already? Wow, time really does fly when you're having fun!"

The minute Angela's mother drove into their drive, Angela quickly slipped out of the car and into the house. She couldn't stand to be out in the moonlight any longer than necessary. She felt it the minute her mother turned into there street. What ever it was that instilled so much fear in her was back again. She didn't stop to say greet anyone and very nearly knocked Teddy over in her rush to get up to her room. There she quickly turned on every light in her room. Then she quickly checked all the reasonable hiding places in her room.

Something was different about her home. Before all Angela knew was that there was something out there that had a desperate desire to be let in. Now she felt as if what ever it was that was out there had found its way in and it wanted something from her. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prick up as if someone was watching her. She ran to the window and wrenched it open, before intently searching the ground below. There was nothing except for a thoughtlessly discarded tricycle of Teddy's. Angela heaved a sigh before turning back into to the confines of her room.

She quickly closed her window once more and pulled the blinds closed tighter than before. Angela than shakily went to sit on her bed, only glancing once at her guitar that lay idle on its stand. She would normally play it gratefully, but she couldn't find the strength too. Everything was all wrong and it was taking all her energy not to fall apart.

And If That Songbird just won't sing:

As Edward sat patiently in his English knew he had to do something. It had been almost a week since he had heard his songbird. Of course he knew why she was withholding her talent from him. It was because she had become so consumed with the fear he and his family caused that she no longer had the will to sing.

It was an impossible equilibrium, the closer he got to her, the more afraid she would become and the less she would sing. Yet if there was any great distance between, she would immediately feel more secure and release her unacknowledged talent. This in turn would call out to him like a siren and he would be compelled to be where ever she was and the cycle would begin again.

It was impossibly frustrating. He desperately needed to be close to her, but she needed desperately needed to stay away from him. It was a life size game of cat and mouse and neither one of them was going to give up without a fight. He was through with playing fair. His songbird was wise for wanting to keep her distance, but he could change that.

The bell rang the second time and his songbird unwilling entered the classroom and cautiously sat down beside him. He subconsciously stretched the fingers on his right hand as he involuntarily remembered how warm her cheek had been. Her two friends entered afterwards, the one she called Lauren walk straight past his songbird with out acknowledging her. The other –who smiled enthusiastically at him- solemnly walked up to his songbird and muttered an apology and reassurance that Lauren would come around.

The teacher was at least another four minutes away, so Edward took the chance to turn his attention to his songbird. He smiled bitterly to himself; he'd seen her kind before and already knew how he should act. He noticed that her fingers were moving in shapes on an invisible guitar neck. This was exactly what he needed. He turned slightly towards her. "You play the guitar?"

His songbird head shot forward and her hands gripped the desks tightly. "Ah, yes, sorry if I was distracting you." She kept her eyes forward; every muscle in her body had become tense.

Edward smiled warmly and chuckled as if she had just done something incredibly cute. "Don't be. It means you can do several things at once." She didn't reply, so Edward continued his little charade. "You know read music, strum, keep time and form chord shapes all at the same time."

His songbird gapped at him, as muddled and half baked notions ran through her head. Although none were the idea he was searching for.

He then quickly looked away from her as if he'd just realized that he had been staring at her for too long. As he continued to divert his eyes, he heard her turn to her curly haired friend and mouth a "Help!" She turned back to the front and Edward pretended that he found the zip on his pencil case was incredibly fascinating. Without looking up he proceeded with his monologue. "So... how long have you been playing the guitar for?"

His songbird gulped beside him "five years."

He pretended to look for something in his pencil case, while keeping a 'cautious' side glance on her. "You must be pretty good then?"

"I'm a fair player."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about it."

"I haven't played in a while."

Edward pretended to look down as if he was offended by her lack of interest, before slowly moving his eyes over to the left hand she had resting on her page. "Wow."

She looked up at him shocked, but refused to say anything.

"It's just it's a real shame that you've stopped playing. You have such beautifully long and thin fingers."

She quickly withdrew her hand away from him. Unwillingly letting in the thought he was looking for. "Usually guitarist finger tips have horrible calluses on their finger tips, but you can barely notice yours."

The teacher entered the room. "Well it was nice talking to you." He said sweetly as he turned to the front. He smiled smugly to himself. He'd planted a seed in her mind; all he'd had to do is wait for her teenage mind to cultivate that notion into something more.

Edward's little ploy worked like a charm.. He should have felt sorry for his songbird, for toying with her but all was fair in love and war. And in a way she had declared war, when she drew her blinds closed. He felt her before her heard her as he stepped out of the lunchroom –he could no longer take low humming the populace's voices caused-. It was if a calming wave had gently washed over him and took his hollowness with it. Her voice was calling out to him from the school's sorry excuse for a music room. Then just like the unsuspecting men who allowed the sirens to lead them to destruction, he surrendered and allowed his feet to take him to her.

He followed it until he reached the door she had left ajar. His songbirds voice faulted for a moment as she became more aware of his presence, but she was determine to not let him stop her. For a moment he stood at the door watching her strumming rhythmically as she sung tunefully. He guessed this is what she must have looked like every time he had listened bellow her window. He'd always had imagined it, but he was certain not even his detailed mind would have ever come close to what he was currently witnessing.

The way her fingers moved around the neck of the guitar was so seamless and with expert precision. The way her fingers moved gracefully from one chord formation to the next, gave the appearance that her fingers weren't forming chords but merrily dancing in response to the melody. He had definitely understated the splendour of her fingers. It took almost of his will power to pull his eyes way from her left hand only to be just as captivated by the rhythmic motion of her right. Her strumming was so strong, yet so gentle that her hand gave the impression of her only just lightly caressing the strings.

Every single movement coincided perfectly with each other as if the strum, fingers and her voice could not live without each other. Even the words she sung held an odd hypnotic element that shouldn't have naturally existed in a human. Edward couldn't take it anymore; he could no longer stand on the other side of the door. He had to be closer to his songbird. He couldn't admire her call from a distance anymore and knew he'd never want to, not when the reality would be so much more vivid than any memory.

Before he could debate the matter any further, he was in the music room with her. He stood almost directly behind her, so close that if he wanted to he could touch her. As if she could sense his pondering, she looked cautiously to the entrance before uneasily deciding it was a figment of her imagination.

That very moment was perfect. If Edward had known a week ago that this would be his reward for resisting temptation, he would have resisted a thousand times over. Sadly like all perfect points in time, 

it was over far too soon. Edward had been so consumed in his Songbird's performance that he failed to notice the approach of a concerned visitor of hers.

"Angela, I'm sorry I didn't..." The girl his Songbird called Jess appeared at the door. "Edward?"

His Songbird ceased playing immediately and her hold on him was broken. At the sound of his name his Songbird looked wildly around herself.

At the sight of him his Songbird simultaneously let her guitar slip from her hands and slipped off the side of her chair. Edward caught both with out thinking and as he re-instated his Songbird –with her guitar safely back in her hand- back into her chair. He mistakenly met her gaze and saw regrettably the same fear she always had, when she was around him. He couldn't stop her fear of him just dull it for a time.

"...Why would you be watching Angela?" His Songbirds naive companion continued to question. "Oh I get it." Edward could see comprehension dawning on the poor girl's face. Unfortunately for his Songbird they were the wrong conclusions. Her friend crossed her arms angrily as tears welled up in her eyes. "I guess Lauren was right. You're only interested when you know you can't have them."

His Songbird fearfully glanced at the hand he had possessively left on her shoulder. Then she moved her gaze to his face as her eyes began to fill with tears. She then finally found the courage to look her friend once more. "It's not... I didn't... You know I would never do that to you, Jess."

Her friend eyed his hand enviously. "Why not you did the exact same thing to Lauren, it's the same formula just different people."

With that her friend ran from the room. Once he was sure his Songbirds 'friend' would not return he removed his hand from her shoulder. His Songbird concentrated on the direction in which her last friend had vanished. "Why won't you just leave me alone?" She looked up at him with a mixture of anger, fear and confusion. "You could have anyone." She quickly got up from her seat and packed up her things, before quickly running out of the room. He could hear her trying to stifle her sobs quite unsuccessfully.

Edward wanted to grab her and force her back into her chair, so she would play for him again. Though he knew if he did, she would just struggle feebly against him until he'd hurt her and then where would he be. Edward and his family would have to leave town and all because he couldn't let a silly girl, with an unusual, unacknowledged talent leave when she asked. His family not after all they had done for him. This time he was going to have to let her think she's slipped away from him.


	5. Making Mistakes

Staking a Claim:

"Okay Edward what did you do this time?" ordered Emmet as he stalked into Edward's room. He was soon followed by Rosalie, Jasper and Alice.

Edward ignored them, turned up his stereo and continued to read his novel. This term in English the class would be studying the Romantic's poetry.

Alice silently pulled the cord of his stereo out of its power point, with what Edward supposed was her idea of aggression. Edward glared at her defiantly. He then noticed that Rosalie had disappeared for a moment and before her could react, Rosalie was standing on the other side of the room with his novel. Edward got up to leave, but Emmet quickly held him back. "You're staying here."

"What is this? An intervention?" Exclaimed Edward angrily. He already knew what they had come for and had no intention of staying around for it.

"Edward we're just concerned about, your recent behavior." soothed Jasper as. Edward could feel all his prior emotions dissolve. "I'm Edward think about it. You disappear almost every single night to lord knows where and know there's this stupid going around Forks High School that you and some girl are an item."

"Don't laugh Edward it's not funny." snapped Rosalie tersely, she fidgeted uncomfortably before she continued. "Is it true?"

Emmet turned to Rosalie perplexed. "You make it sound like that's a bad thing. So what if she's human? All Edward has to do is lure her away from everyone and in three days time. Presto! Edward's set for the rest of eternity."

Edward could feel rage swelling up within him at Emmet's frankness. "Okay that's it! No Rosalie it's not true. I don't even like the girl, so could you all stop planning the best method for ambushing the poor, silly human."

Finally Emmet released his hold on Edward and he was finally able to stand. He quickly snatched his English novel out of Rosalie's hand. He then motioned for everyone to leave. Rosalie, Emmet and Jasper obeyed, but Alice remained. Edward seized the cable in her hand and replaced the cord in its socket.

Music sounded once more. The song that played was the exact same one his songbird had played a day ago, but it didn't quite have the same soothing effect. He hadn't notice at the time, but the song she had been playing was a love song. Although she didn't realize it, the song had an odd accuracy and prophetic undertone to it. He never really listened to the words except for in the chorus where there would just be the repetition of the same phrase. "One day I will fly with you."

"Edward." Muttered Alice in a low whisper.

Edward had been so engrossed in his own thoughts, that he completely forgot that she existed.

"That girl… at school."

"Alice I don't-"

"I know you don't and I know that wasn't the reason why you wanted to turn her." She looked up at him seriously. "Edward this has to stop. The others may believe you when you say nothings going on, but that girl… you can't keep toying with her. She's already afraid of us and if you keep pushing her, I'm afraid she might snap. I know you don't want that to happen because I know where you go almost every night."

Edward pushed past her into the corridor. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Alice grabbed his arm and held him fast. "Edward you can't keep her. Humans grow old. That's why we have to keep moving. Three years time and we'll be gone and -just like every human we come into contact with- she will most likely forget we existed."

"I'm sorry Alice you seem to be under the misapprehension that I have feelings other than apathy for this girl." snapped Edward bitterly.

"Edward, I won't keep lying to them."

It was quiet trip from the Cullen house to Forks High School. Edward had no intention on conversing with his siblings and they respected his wishes. That was until Edward got out of the car in which he was very quickly met by an anxious Alice.

"Edward I know you really don't want to be with us right now but what ever you do. Don't stay away from us too long. I had a premonition and one of the boys here wants to, um… in his words 'put you back in your place'." As Alice quoted this she absently glanced over her shoulder at the boy from Edwards Math class.

Edward shifted his bag as a diversion so he could look in the boy's direction. Sure enough all of the boys thoughts were centered on the best way to 'show him who's boss'. "So what's his latest plan?"

Alice looked slightly taken aback before hesitantly pointing towards the schools secluded under croft. "He's hoping you'll just wander over there, because that's apparently where your 'girlfriends' –Rosalie head immediately perked up upon hearing the word- locker is."

"Right," Said Edward somewhat rebelliously. "Better not disappoint him then!" With that Edward 'wandered –for the pathetic human's benefit- towards the under croft.

"Edward, don't!" cried Alice to the bewilderment of his other siblings.

It was too late. Edward knew the boy's type. The boy had been boasting about his cleaver ploy to have some one on one time with Edward's songbird and how sure he was that she would return his affections. Naturally his pride had been hurt upon hearing the rumor and to him the only natural way to win back that pride was to demean the opposition.

Edward could hear his clumsy footing attempting to shorten the distance between them. His footsteps were soon joined by other oafish pairs –a sign that he had brought witnesses-. Edward refused to turn around. After all it would have been a shame to ruin the boy's theatrics so soon.

"Hey, pretty boy!" Came the boy's slightly quivering shout. Edward turned to face him, but his facial expression did not portray a hint of surprise.

Edward sneered. "That's an ingenious insult did your mother give you that one?"

The boy looked stunned for a moment. Obviously he wasn't expecting much of a fight. One of his friends smacked him on the back encouragingly, as if to jump start him. This seemed to produce the desired effect. "Listen, stay away from my girl!"

Edward sauntered teasingly up to him. "What girl?"

This seemed to infuriate him even more. "You know exactly who I mean. Stay away from Angela." He said this through clenched teeth and fists.

"Excuse me last time I checked women hadn't been the property of boy's since the at least the 19 hundreds. So I'm pretty sure that gives her full reign over who she does and does not –he put great emphasis on 'not'- date." Teased Edward, knowing exactly what effect this would have on the boy's ego.

"TYLER! What are you doing?"

Tyler and Edward turned to see the source of the disturbance. Of course Edward knew who it was. There was his Songbird desperately running towards them. As usual she doubled back once his and her eyes met.

Tyler's slower eyes picked up on this reaction and mistook her behavior for a different sign.

"I'm teaching your little Eddy to stop chasing after things that don't belong to him!" shouted Tyler not taking his eyes off Edward. Edward did not return the glare; he wasn't quite ready to relinquish his gaze from her.

"What?" Squealed Edwards Songbird, "Tyler please don't be so ridiculous! It's not worth it. Please he's only new to this place!"

"Say goodbye to your good looks, Eddy!" Commanded Tyler as he begun his slow and amateur swing towards Edwards face.

Edward let him punch him, knowing that it would hardly leave a mark. He even helped Tyler's assault by purposely throwing his head back so that Tyler's hand wouldn't shatter. Still there was a loud crack as Tyler's hand broke upon impact that was soon followed by a violent swear.

"Holy crap, my hand!" wailed Tyler nursing his now badly injured fist. He glanced up Edward angrily. "You broke my hand!"

Edward pretended to nurse his untouched eye. "You suck at punching."

Tyler glared agitatedly at Edward before turning to his Songbird. "Angela, look what he did to my hand!"

Edwards Songbird looked down apathetically at Tyler. "No he didn't. You did it to yourself." Upon saying this she turned on her heel and left. Edward was surprised how she managed to she walk away so gracefully, despite her inner turmoil. After the initial shock of this realization had worn off Edward smiled humorlessly to himself, before he strode somewhat cheerily through the crowd and back to his siblings.

English class would be held in the library most of the class was aware of this fact. All expect for Edward's songbird. Last lesson when the teacher explained the room changes; Edward's Songbird had been to pre occupied with existing the room. So Edward decided to stay back in the classroom and wait for his Songbird's appearance.

He didn't have to wait long. He'd only just settled himself in his usual seat, when he heard light, quick footsteps. He looked to the left of him where he knew she would normally sit. He wasn't quiet sure why he was bothering to tell her after all she was nothing more than a jukebox to him. Then she appeared at the door and Edward was surprised to find that he was actually glad to see her again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I… I could have sworn I had English." muttered his Songbird awkwardly. She immediately diverted her eyes to the floor.

"That's because you do." Answered Edward nonchalantly, before smoothly jumping out of his seat and made his way over to her. "We're in the library."

"Oh," Was all his Songbird could muster as she followed him down the corridor. They made their way down the corridor in silence. His Songbird every now and again would glanced up at him with what he knew to be awe. He pretended not to notice. Soon her eyes focused on the eye in which should have been badly bruised. "I'm sorry about what happened this morning. I 

didn't know Tyler could be such a brute. It was my fault. I should have just agreed to go out with him. Then I guess he-"

"Don't you blame yourself for one minute." Order Edward authoritatively. She gasped in shock, so Edward softened his voice. "It's not your fault he can't take a hint." Edward turned to look at her and she unwilling did so as well.

For moment their eyes met, but this time Edward could see a change in hers. As per usual there was the fear but he could see that behind her petrified eyes there was something deeper begging to be seen with in those light, brown eyes. There was this genuine concern for him dimly glowing with in her eyes and there was almost a hint of innocent, naïve love. He couldn't remember when someone looked at him like that and he was sure that he didn't deserve such a pure, unadulterated form of affection.

"You're eyes look so sad and so old. Like you've had a life time of loneliness." She sweetly, in a soft, whisper, as she slowly, stretched her hand up to the eye that should have been injured. Edward immediately stepped away from her. His Songbird was getting far too close to him and he couldn't allow her to unconsciously step over that fine line.

His Songbird looked away from him, embarrassed. "I'm sorry I don't know what came over me. I just wanted to…. You just sort of looked like you needed some human contact. I'll keep my hands to myself in future."

Edward walked a head of her. "Let's just get to the library."

Edward's Songbird followed after him obediently. He quickly turned back to face his Songbird. "I thought you were afraid of me?"

His Songbird gripped her books innocently. "How did you-?"

"I guessed. Why aren't you afraid of me anymore?"

Edward's Songbird looked away for a moment. "I-I am, I just figured I-I should get over it after all that you've done for me. You obviously mean me no harm."

Edward smirked sadistically. "Don't be so sure."

The Spider and the Fly:

Angela had only been quietly reading her English novel, sitting on one of the outdoor benches; when Tyler approached her. She didn't see him straight away as she had become quiet engrossed in one of the poems by Emily Barret-Browning. This was why she jumped when he snuck up behind her and playfully, whispered her name.

"Someone's a little highly strung today." Mused Tyler mockingly as he sat down on the bench beside her.

Angela shifted uneasily in her seat. "You startled me." She tried to fake a smile, but given the passed few days; she had very little to smile about. Angela turned her attention back to her book. She didn't want to give Lauren even more of a reason to exclude her. She could still feel Tyler still looking at her in a way she knew he shouldn't be.

Tyler gently pushed the novel away from her face. "We should do something this weekend and I don't mean just hang out. I mean like a date."

Angela's eyes widened in terror, "I can't, I-"

"I know you're father said you weren't allowed to date until your seventeen but… We could just not tell him."

Angela shook her head furiously. "No it's not just that. Its-"

"I know Lauren likes me but you know just because she likes me doesn't mean you can't."

"Tyler, I like you… but as a friend and I would never do that to Lauren anyway. Besides I really have to catch up on school work." explained Angela hurriedly before biting her lip. Wandering whether she tell Tyler about Ben helping her with her math.

She liked Ben. He was the only one who didn't believe that she would do what both Lauren and Jess had been telling everyone. He was about the only friend she had left who wasn't either angry with her or trying to force a relationship on her. She wished that Ben would hurry up and get to school. If Ben was here he would have tried to talk some sense into Tyler. As she thought this she instinctively looked around for some sign of Ben's arrival. Unfortunately all she saw was the Cullen sibling's car enter the parking lot with its unusual grace, skill and speed.

Tyler had become angered by Angela's persistent refusal and gruffly signaled his leave. She could have sworn that as he rose from the seat, he had glared intensely at the car; but he quickly turned in the opposite direction to his group of friends. Angela quickly focused all her attentions back to her book. Angela had been quite enjoying herself and managed to suppress that instinctively feeling that something dangerous had entered the school. Until she heard one of the Cullen girl's shout out worriedly. She tried to suppress the urge to look up. Afraid that if she did and saw him. She would loose all her senses and stupidly fall for him again.

She heard Tyler and his friends herd past her. One of them –Mike Newton– made a comment about her being the future Mrs. Crowley and Tyler told him to shut up in an unusually aggressive tone. Still she refused to admit that anything might be amiss. She found it was easier to deal with her current situation a lot better if she just ignored the outside world. Then Ben's feet appeared at the top of line of vision. Angela sighed with relief. For some reason she always felt more relaxed around Ben.

"What's up with Tyler's group and the Cullen boy?"

Angela shrugged trying to pretend not to care.

"It's just that it seems like your apparent new 'fling' might be in for a good old fashioned 'welcome to Forks High' brawl."

"What?" Snapped Angela fear immediately coursing through her.

"Yeah, Mike said Tyler's going to teach 'Eddy' a lesson about taking things that don't belong to him." answered with both bemusement and excitement evident in his voice. He glanced over at the under croft. "So… What do you think 'Eddy' took that didn't belong to him? I bet it was the last pudding cup from yesterday. Man Tyler loves those pudding cups."

Angela gulped before shakily setting her book down on the table. "Um… Ben what would you say if I said this might be all my fault?"

Ben pulled a face. "You convinced Edward to steal the last pudding cup for you?"

Angela bit her lip anxiously. If Edward got hurt it would be all her fault, yet she didn't want to risk taking his side in case Jess got the wrong idea. Then again she wasn't feeling particularly charitable towards Tyler either.

Ever since that disastrous English lesson, Angela had been gladly avoiding Edward in every manner possible. She didn't know what caused her to act so dumbly. It was if looking into his 

then dull, gold eyes had cast some sort of trance over her. She knew wanting to touch -what she assumed – to be his injured eye was definitely a silly move.

Though on the contrary to whatever he thought, she did not do so because she was madly in love with him. To own surprise what she had mistaken for a brief crush, wasn't a crush all. She did care about him. Just not in the way she expected. There was just something about him that made her want to help him or save him from the same unseen force that kept her awake at night.

She knew it was ridiculous for her to feel this way. He was pretty much the ideal stereotype of what a teenage boy should look like and all she could think about was how much she wanted to protect him. This wasn't to say she didn't find him attractive. She found him extremely handsome and was sure that -if her current circumstances had been different- then she would have been very happy to defy her father for him. It was more the fact that something told her that she wasn't the one for him; someone who fitted his world more easily than she did or at the very least wasn't petrified of loosing all her senses.

Angela had been pondering all this as she dawdled slowly all by herself passed the music room. She had no one to sit with at no one to sit with at lunch time. Jess and Lauren weren't talking to her; Ben was friends with Tyler and didn't want to risk severing that relationship by 'fraternizing with a tease'. As a result Angela had been left absolutely friendless and doomed to spend her lunch times alone. That was when she heard a sudden burst of a piano being played. She'd never heard anything like it before. It was so perfect, yet there was something inhumanly beautiful about it. It was almost as if whoever was playing it was trying to lure her closer to them.

The music was so familiar yet the complexity of the music that made it sound as if it was a completely new song. Who ever it was seemed to know her greatest weakness. For her music didn't just calm the wildest beast it held a strange power over everyone. She couldn't take it anymore; she could no longer stand outside of the music room. She had to see who had such a beautiful talent. With no further hesitation Angela stepped willing over the threshold of the door.

She soon wished she hadn't made that finally step, when she found who had such a splendid talent. The music stopped abruptly and Edward turned around to face her. He seemed surprise at to see her but his face soon re-arranged into an inviting smile."I should have guessed, you'd be the one to interrupt me. Musician's it seems tend to attract each other through their music. I'd say it was an almost intrinsic language wouldn't you?"

Angela stayed motionless at the entrance. She was confused. She was under the impression that he was just as eagerly avoiding her as she was. Yet here he was talking to her as if nothing had happened. She gulped down all her fear and forced herself to return his conversation. "What music piece were you playing?"

Edward smiled smugly before turning back to the piano. "I'll play the instrumental again."

As soon as Edward started, Angela recognized the song immediately. "Hallelujah, which was originally written by Leonard Cohen but you're playing the Jeff Buckley version. I've had this song in my head all day."

Edward nodded in agreement as he continued to play his hypnotically, alluring music. Angela –unable to keep away from the sound – stepped further into the music room.

"You know, I find that Hallelujah is the most emotive with the words."

Angela froze in the middle of the room as Edward turned back towards her, surprisingly still managing to continue the piece with out a moment's hesitation. He smiled sweetly –yet Angela could have sworn she saw a hint of sick triumph at the corners of his mouth- at her."I remember you having quite a sweet voice that would go harmoniously well with this certain piece of music."

"I don't sing."

He turned back to his piano. "Really?" He mused smugly in his usually well modulated tone, before humming the tune he had caught her singing a few days ago. Still he managed to play 'Hallelujah' seamlessly. It appeared that he could almost play the piano with his eyes closed.

"What I meant was I don't sing in front of just anyone."

"Then I'd be right in thinking, I'm not just someone then given you're passed behavior."

"I can't…"

Edward gradually stopped his playing on exactly the right notes and walked effortlessly over to her. Angela found herself almost completely rooted to the spot. Something about Edward's behavior reminded her of a fly caught in a spider's web and the spider had decided to lure the fly into a false sense of security before striking.

Edward stood incredibly close to Angela. "You have no idea how much joy it gave me to see you sing that day." He whispered looking what she thought could have been seductively at her.

Angela felt her heart pound erratically in her chest as she met his almost unreadable eyes. She wanted to look away but couldn't. It was almost as if an invisible hand was forcing her stare straight back at him.

He very carefully, lightly caressed her arm with his hand, tracing her arm from the top of her shoulder to her palm. She felt a sudden chill course through her, causing her to shudder involuntarily. "Will you sing for me again?" He questioned, innocently as he drew patterns on the back of her hand.

It was always what Angela had feared most about him. That he would ask her to do something and she would feel powerless to refuse. She wished she had the strength to say no but before she could stop herself she had nodded in agreement. Edward smiled joyously or was it triumphantly? Angela was unable to tell before he had gently taken her hand and pulled her back to the piano. Before she knew it she was seated beside him and obediently singing every single word as perfectly as she could.


	6. Breaking Through

The Music Room:

Edward couldn't bear to look at his Songbird any longer. Every time he'd glance over to see her quietly working beside him in English; he'd know the only reason why she'd sing for him was because he manipulated her into doing so. He didn't want his Songbird to sing for him because he'd tricked her into it; he wanted her to sing because she wanted to. He wanted her to sing to him the way she would sing to her little cousin when he cried. How she would sing to comfort him or lull him to sleep. He'd never thought he'd envy such a small and insignificant human as he did to that toddler. He wanted to be that small mortal, who would curl up in her lap and be pacified by her innocent, sweet voice and to have his Songbird gently run her fingers through his hair.

He never wanted her this way but out of his own desperation and selfish need he had. What made the matter so much more heinous was that she partly aware of what he had done and still wanted to befriend him. As if she thought that her influence could cure him of his 'sadness'. He hated it, he hated himself. He wanted to apologize for his crime but he'd never be able to do the apology justice.

This is what led him to spend a great deal of his spare time in the music room. He was convinced that if spent enough time in the place were he had corrupted her, then he might find a way to rectify it. This lunch time was no different. He had resumed his normally act of pacing madly up and down the room, while ever now again furiously looking at the piano. That's when she appeared in all her sweet, innocence.

She looked nervously at him. "Are you okay?" Her heart skipped a beat when she saw his ebony coloured eyes.

"You shouldn't be here." Barked Edward angrily, still pacing madly. He could feel her defiantly step into the room, despite her obvious fears. His Songbird was determined to reach out to him. It was all she ever thought of these days. "I'm destructive. I'll destroy whether I mean to or not."

She stepped cautiously closer to him and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, but he lanced her off.

"Edward?"

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm no good. I'll destroy you! I'd self-destruct if I could."

Then his Songbird did something he didn't expect. He had been so set on his own thoughts that he completely lost all his senses. She through herself upon him, wrapping her arms as best she could around his broad torso. Edward continued his rapid pace, still unable to register what had just happened. Her feet began to drag along the carpet and yet she still refused to let go.

"No, you won't, because I won't let you." She whispered determinedly, tightening her grip around him.

Edward stopped to look down at the weak creature. His Songbirds eyes were shut tightly and he could see her starting to shiver with fear. He stood there and allowed his Songbird to hold him. He could feel her small frame warmth slowly warm his cold skin. He found it odd that the least likely person in Forks High to put themselves at his mercy would be the first one to do so. She'd crossed the line he'd spent is entire existence trying to guard and he couldn't say he was sorry that she had.

"I don't care if you destroy me. There's a reason why we keep finding each other and I'll be damned if I let you destroy yourself before I find out what it is."

Edward's face hardened "I'll mistreat you. Abuse your trust. I'll try to manipulate you. I've done it before."

"You can learn. I can learn not to be so easily led. You'll be better when you're older. I know you will." Replied his Songbird with conviction and tighten her weak grip around him.

Edward reached for her interlocking fingers and gently pulled her away from him. He held her easily far away from him, before walking to the other side of the room. This whole situation made him sick. She was too pure for him. He turned away from her to put his head in hands, desperately fighting any thought he had. He sat down on a chair out of exasperation. "I think liked you better when you were afraid of me."

His Songbird placed her hand on his shoulder; he immediately touched her soft, warm, innocent hand. He had obviously moved to quickly for she gasped out of shock. She slowly moved her hands around his shoulders before forming a hug. Much like the ones he'd seen his Songbird given her little cousin so many times before. She soon began to hum the same tune she would sing her little cousin, when ever he needed consoling. Edward was surprised at how very little repulsion he felt towards her shameless, attempts to reach out to him.

He immediately darted away from her. "Don't do that ever again!" He ordered angrily.

She fell forward out of shock but soon regained her balance. Her eyes widened in shock. "Why? I thought you said that 'I had no idea how much joy it gave you when I sung'? Isn't that what you want, for me to sing for you?"

Edward winced as he looked at her kind, confused face. "I don't want you to sing because I want you to. I want you to sing because you want to sing."

His Songbird mouthed an 'oh' and walked past him to unlock the cupboard, that held –what he know knew to be - her guitar. She then seated herself in the chair; Edward had been previously sitting in. She pulled the guitar nervously onto her knee and looked anxiously up at him. "You have no idea how much joy it gives me to, see you smile, really smile and if playing for is the only way then so be it." She smiled weakly and then began to finger pick the chords to the song she had been humming.

For a moment Edward stood in front of her stunned at her determination. Then after a few bars had been played, he found the urge to be apart of her musical endeavours and seated himself at the piano. He could feel his Songbirds perceptive eyes watch him intently, as he played along with her. He couldn't be sure –as he couldn't bear to look back at her – but he could have sworn he could hear her smile triumphantly.

On The Way Home:

It was odd for Angela to have Edward walk her home. She had a tremendous need to run away from him and so had to force herself to stay near. He seemed to feel the same as his usually sure eyes were cautiously watching her as if he expected her to abandon him at any moment. They said very little to each for most of the way. This whole situation was entirely foreign to Angela so she wasn't sure if there wasn't anything that really could be said. After all she was sure that very few people formed a friendship, just because one was afraid that the other would slip through the seams.

Angela found it odd that Edward stopped exactly outside her house but pushed the feeling aside. She continued past her house though. Edward turned seemingly confused.

"I have to pick the twins up from school." explained Angela as she beckoned for him to follow her.

He quickly caught up with her in his usual fluid type grace. "So..." mused Edward as he casually pushed his hands into the front pocket of his jeans. "Who are the twins?"

"My younger brothers Simon and Peter." Replied Angela mechanically, although she got the feeling that Edward already knew this. Edward formed an elongated 'oh' and they were once again back to silence.

It wasn't until they'd reach the primary school gates did Edward mutter something inaudible under his breath. Angela wasn't entirely sure but she convinced there was an apology somewhere with in it. It took her awhile to register this so it wasn't until they were standing under the bid willow tree did she awkwardly mutter an acceptance of his apology. She had a strange feeling that Edward meant to say something more but her attention was soon lost to her two energetic, nine year old brothers.

Simon was the first to reach Angela, but soon stop when he saw who was standing beside her. He looked slyly from Angela then to Edward before saying. "Oh mum and dad are going to be so mad."

Peter soon joined his brother. "Yeah, dad said you're not aloud to date."

Angela rolled her eyes playfully at her brothers before enveloping them both in an overly motherly hug. "It's okay he's just a friend." She only released her brothers when their complaints over her smothering became too audible. "Aren't you two forgetting your manners? Shouldn't you two be saying hello?"

Simon and Peter crossed their arms simultaneously and replied in unison. "Dad says we're not aloud to talk to strangers."

"Fine," Snapped Angela happily. "Edward this is Simon and Peter. Simon likes to collect rocks and Peter likes to clean them. Simon, Peter this is Edward. He ergh... is a musician like me."

Simon made an 'ooo' noise and Peter added. "Oh you are in so much trouble, when we get home. Dad said you definitely can't date a musi-sian until you graduate from college."

"He says that musicians only play and write music because they know the girls will fall for them." Interrupted Simon.

"Yeah, they're only after one thing."

Simon looked at peter confused. "What is it?"

Peter returned the gaze. "I don't know. Angela what is that 'one thing'?"

Angela quickly pretended to look at her watch as a diversion. "Oh would you look at the time, if we don't hurry will miss all the cartoons."

She then quickly ushered her brothers out of the school gate. She could hear Edward quietly laughing at her and she could feel her face grow hot.

Then Simon and Peter turned to Edward and quizzed in unison. "Edward you're a mus-sican what's that one thing you want from Angela."

"PETER? SIMON?" Screamed Angela horrified at their crassness. "Edward please, just ignore them."

The rest of the walk home was spent for Angela and Edward in complete silence. Her brothers spoke animatedly to each other about what that possible one thing could be. Then Simon turned Edward, but still continued walking. "You know Ed. Can I call you Ed?"

Angela looked anxiously at him but soon smiled when she saw him nod nonchalantly.

Simon continued. "You know Ed I didn't notice before because of the tree but, you're really, really good looking."

Peter mimicked Simons previous movement so he to was know walking backwards. "Yeah, have you ever thought of making a career out of it?"

"Oh look we're home!" Exclaimed Angela rather loudly. Angela was about to turn to say her goodbye to Edward, when he mother burst excitedly out of the house. She soon stoped at the top step at the sight of Edward.

"Angela? Who is your umm... friend?" questioned her mother as she shakily walked down the front steps.

"Mum," Said Angela proudly –Edward sudden looked ashamed to be with her-. "This is Edward. He's the one who found me unconscious all those weeks ago and alerted the teachers." Angela tried to increase her exuberance, but it only made Edward smile for a little while. So she quickly shoved her hand into his own icy counterpart. "He's quite the modern day knight in shining armour."

Simon and Peter made elongated 'ooo' sounds at her hasty advance. Her mother looked from Angela and Edward sceptically.

"Angela? Will you please say goodbye to your friend –the word friend had a certain bite in her mouth- I have something important to tell you."

Angela nodded in agreement and without even thinking quickly kissed Edward on the cheek. It was the only way she could think of that might stop Edward from looking as if he was lower than dirt. When Angela pulled away Edward wore a surprised expression and tightened his grip around her small hand. Angela smiled at him slightly embarrassed. She could tell that by tomorrow Edward would do his best to avoid her.

"Angela." Growled her mother aggressively. Her mother had seen the whole event play out in front of her and was obvious not amused.

"Oh right, goodbye Edward."

Edward nodded to her curtly and muttered a somewhat apologetic goodbye. Angela's mother watched him leave while territorially stepping in front of her. Once she was sure that Edward was completely gone from sight, she turned to Angela. Angela winced, "mum I know what you're going to say, but he's just a friend and he sort of needs me right now."

Her mother frowned disapprovingly. "I bet he does." Her expression soon changed to a smile. "Oh I have some of the best news for you. You're father; brother's wife Lucy is pregnant."

Angela returned the smile. "You mean Teddy's going to have a little brother or sister?"

Her mother nodded excitedly. "I'm so glad that Lucy and Teddy are living with us; right now while her husbands away. Oh it's going to be so exciting and hopefully seeing the trials of pregnancy first hand will stop you from giving in to peer-pressure."


	7. Something Blue and Something New

Something Blue:

"Mark did you know our daughter has made a new friend. A boy in fact." said her mother curtly as she grimly stabbed at a piece of roasted carrot. Her mother had been less than pleased with Angela's past public display towards Edward and no qualms in making her views known.

Lucy looked up in shock at her sister in law's sarcastic manner. She held Teddy's mash potato just out of Teddy's reach. Simon and Peter looked gleefully from Angela to their mother. Hopeful that she and her mother would finally have an actual fight. Angela kept her eyes on her plate of food.

Angela's father smiled warmly at his daughter. "That's nice sweetheart. Is he a good Christian? I'm sick of all your agnostic friends. "

"Mark!" snapped her mother angrily before continuing, "I don't think he's that type of 'friend'." Her mother sneered condescendingly. "He walked her home this afternoon."

"Mom he's just a friend!" cried Angela anxiously. "Besides he didn't mean to walk me home. He was trying to... I was..." stuttered Angela desperately looking for a way to not reveal the exact intricacies of their conversation. "We just got carried away with our conversation and he just sort of fell into step with me."

Peter snorted with laughter, "You and Ed getting caught up in conversation? I've never seen such an awkward silence like you two had."

Angela returned her gaze back to her full plate of food.

Her mother's sneer softened and she touched Angela's hand. Angela flinched slightly as a sudden pain shot through. Her mother looked curiously at Angela's hand before she spoke. "Angela dear, not everyone is as truthful as you. He might have said that but trust me that boy knew exactly what he was doing."

Angela drew her hand away from her mother. "Mom, Tyler and Ben have walked me home before and you didn't mind. Why is it different with Edward?"

Her mother gritted her teeth, "Because you've never grabbed Tyler or Ben's hand before; or kissed either of them."

There was a sudden clatter as Angela's father's knife fell onto his plate. "You did what?"

"Where?" Quizzed Lucy as her eyes sparkled with excitement. She quickly turned her attention back to Teddy's dinner at her sister in-laws withering stare.

"It wasn't like that." Pleaded Angela as she slammed her hands on the table, before quickly withdrawing her right hand -another spasm of pain shot through it. She quickly placed her hand in her lap and out of view of her mother's suspicious eyes.

"Yeah, but where?" Pressed Lucy eagerly, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Lucy stop encouraging her!" ordered Angela's mother icily.

"I only kissed him on the cheek. It was nothing. He knows that it was nothing."

"Angela you're not allowed to date until you turn seventeen. So you're going to have to tell this boy to give his affections to someone else."

Angela bowed her head not daring to meet anyone at the tables gaze as she mumbled sadly. "I can't dad I promised him... and... he needs me."

Her mother snorted sarcastically. "That's the oldest line in the book. Angela trust me what ever he 'needs' you for, he can wait a year."

"Angela I don't think you should enter into that type of relationship just because you feel obligated to do so." Recommended Lucy pensively. "You can't force yourself to feel something that doesn't exist."

Angela couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't sit there and have a group of adults tell her how to behave when they clearly didn't understand. They didn't understand how wildly, hopeless Edward had looked in the music room. They didn't see how deep his own sense of loneliness was set into his forever changing eyes. They didn't sit beside him in English and couldn't feel his almost exude so many conflicting emotions at once; as if he wanted so much to belong to someone, but didn't think he deserved to.

Angela excused herself from the table before running down the hall to the front door. She was sure that the sharp, cold air would clear her head of her thoughts. She quickly wrapped her right hand around the door knob but soon wiped her hand away as another pang of pain shot through her hand. She looked curiously at her hand. For the first time she saw the faint blue-ish bruise in the shape of a grip run icily over her hand. She didn't ponder over the cause of its appearance for long as she soon heard her mother calling her back.

She could feel her heart begin to race as it always would. Her breath started to become quick and shallow as she stared into the empty night. Angela could feel herself becoming increasingly dizzy from the lack of oxygen. The darkness was calling her to out to join it. It seemed to promise that it only wanted to play, but Angela wondered for how long. She wondered if she stepped over the threshold. Would the darkness ever release its hold on her or would its grasp on her sanity strength? It was tempting thought, to surrender to the darkness. Angela could tell that the dark force wasn't going to leave without her one way or another.

She motioned her foot over the door way and was about to place her foot tentatively on the other side when a hand wrapped itself around her right and yanked her back into the house. Angela gasped in pain.

"Angela? What on earth were you doing?" squealed Lucy with worry etched all over her young, sweet face. Her eyes moved quickly to Angela's right hand, "What's this bruise?"

Angela quickly wrenched her hand away defensively. "It's nothing. I don't even remember how I got it."

Lucy eyed Angela suspiciously. Angela could see anger beginning to rise within her normally level headed aunt. "Did he do this to you?"

Angela's eyes widened in shock, it hadn't even crossed her mind that he was capable of leaving such a strange mark. Lucy stood their, with her piercing blue eyes boring into her. Knowing the truth wouldn't be good enough, Angela changed tact. She crossed her arms aggressively, "No, it was an accident." Angela replied in unusually defensive tone. "I was playing volleyball in gym class and I went to go hit the volleyball and clumsily fell."

Lucy raised an eye brow unconvinced. "You fell and didn't think to unlink your hands, to break your fall?"

Angela nodded shakily.

"I don't think you and this Edward boy should be friends. It's obvious that his influence makes you unnaturally clumsy."

Angela sighed exasperated and pushed past Lucy to get to the stairs. She quickly ran up to the top of the stairs before turning back to face Lucy's critical face. "He's not the monster mom makes him out to be."

Lucy snorted snidely. "Oh of course not he's just like every other teenager with anger management problems. Mrs Crowley told me about the school yard fight Tyler and your prince charming had."

"That was my fault not his!"

"I'd be careful with those lies Angela. He might have you believing them one day."

"I swear he never touched me! I was the one who grabbed _his_ hand!" screamed Angela desperately.

"He's a foster kid Angela. You don't know what sort of prior parental upbringing they've had. You just don't know what they're capable of."

Angela let out an exasperated shout and stormed up the rest of the way to her room. Once inside her room she slammed the door, before she kicked it with all her strength; frustrated at the adults in her life's narrow mindedness. She could hear her mother quickly usher the twins to bed and Lucy yell at Teddy with frustration as he refused to budge from his high chair. Angela winced as she heard Teddy wail in his own confusion of his mother's anxiety.

Once Lucy had finally wrestled Teddy into bed and Angela's mother had managed to convince the twins that eight-thirty was late enough for the both of them; Angela could hear all three of them meet in the kitchen to discuss Lucy's resent discovery. Angela put her ear to the door, so she could only hear what was being said. She couldn't stand the stand the sound of their voices deciding how she should live. No doubt they'd decide that Edward wouldn't be welcome anymore –not that he ever had been-.

Angela's right hand began to throb in a late reaction to Lucy's firm grasp. Angela brought her hand up to look at the faint, blue grip mark and groaned. She pressed her back up against her wooden door and allowed herself to sink to the floor. She didn't understand herself anymore. If she was so afraid of Edward and every fibre of her being agreed that this was reasonable, then why was she so ready to defend him? She wasn't even sure that he wasn't responsible for the mark. Why did she feel the need to protect him when she'd have those haunting dreams were his intentions had been anything less than pure.

Angela could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes, threatening to break free from their boundaries. She drew her knees up beneath herself and held them close to herself. Ever since she met Edward and his family everything had gone from bad to worse. She sometimes felt that there had been a reason why Edward just coincidently kept re-appearing in her life. It felt as if the universe was forcing her to befriend him. So for once she listened, and now it seemed that universe had decided to pull her away from him.

It wasn't fair. The universe shouldn't be able to change its course at a flick of a switch; Lauren and Jess should still be her friends; that dark, unsustainable force shouldn't be feeding off her sanity; Edward shouldn't look so tortured for a boy who appears to have almost everything; Teddy's father shouldn't be so far away from Teddy and most of all she should not have that ridiculous bruise on her hand.

All of these thoughts were too much for Angela and she was soon caught up in a fit of violent, passionate sobs – that seemed to shake her from the depths of her soul. She was careful to suppress the most of her violent crying from becoming too audible and soon through her own tiredness fell into one of the deepest sleeps she had had for weeks.

When Angela awoke the next morning; she found herself tucked safely in her own bed. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly confused. She could have sworn that she had fallen asleep up against her bedroom door. Slowly as she became more attuned to reality; she soon began to feel something cool resting on her right hand. She turned her head side ways to find her right hand resting on her pillow; curiously wrapped in a bandage. The long since melted ice pack on top of her hand was the answer for her original query. Soon her eyes began to focus on her window. Her blinds were swaying gently in response to the cool autumn breeze.

Angela sat up abruptly. She may have forgotten herself getting into bed but she had been quite certain that her window had been shut. It was always closed. This sent an unwelcomed surge of panic to course through her. It was silly but ever since that terrible force had appeared she had habitually closed her window.

Lucy quietly opened Angela's door and cautiously peeped from behind it. She soon opened the door wider, to allow herself in, once she had seen that Angela was already awake. "Angela," she pleaded meekly, "I'm sorry about what I said about...about...Edward. It's just that when you've worked with foster kids for as long as I have... you just can't help but get suspicious when a foster kid and a good kid decide to befriend each other."

Angela shifted uncomfortably at Lucy choice of words, "So... what you're saying is that all foster kids are bad and then by that logic all non-foster children are little angels."

Lucy winced, obviously aware that she had been 'misunderstood'. She took some time before she made her next statement, "No, what I mean is - Angela you're such a sweet girl – and these foster kids, they come from an entirely different world to you. I'm just afraid that because of whatever Edward's" –she pronounced 'Edward' in an odd tone- "past living situation must have been like, that he might –and I'm not saying he means too! - try and take it out on you."

Lucy crawled onto Angela's bed pleadingly. Angela looked away; she couldn't stand to look at any of the adults in her life at the moment. Lucy took hold of Angela's chin to force Angela to look at her. "Angela please, your mother, father and I just want you to be safe."

Angela wasn't listening. Instead her eyes were set on the empty spot on her dresser. "Where's my alarm clock?" Angela turned to look at Lucy, "Did you move it?"

Angela was late for school that day. Lucy had insisted that - due to their previous fight, last night – Angela should allow her to by her breakfast; despite how late for school Angela already was. Lucy also insisted that Angela take as long as she wanted. Angela's mother had already left for work and there was no reason –that Lucy could see- why Angela couldn't be just a little bit later for school.

Finally after what seemed like a lifetime in that cafe, Angela appeared just in time for third period, English. Her English teacher was less than pleased at Angela's tardiness and scowled at her profusely as Angela searched for a seat. Today Edward was reluctantly sitting next to Angela's former friend Jess. He appeared to be consciously ignoring Angela's appearance and had resolved to glare at the black board.

Angela furrowed her eyebrows. She found that quite strange, usually it was her who was consciously avoiding him. She soon found a spare seat placed directly behind Edward and Jess at the back of class room. As she settled into her lonely seat, her school diary slid off the top her pile of books and landed with a dull thud on the floor before she could catch it. The teacher turned to glare at her once more as Angela bent down to pick up her diary, but it Edward had miraculously beaten her to it. He wordless and aggressively placed the diary back on her desk, before stalking back to his own seat.

Angela sat down in her seat, slightly aghast at his behaviour. Then she noticed a piece of note paper peeping from behind her diary cover. She quickly snatched at her diary; opened it and released the note paper from its prison. It was folded in half, so she opened it, as she could feel curiosity getting the best of her. There was no name or anything to signify its author – although she already knew who would bother to write her a note. It read as follows:

_Don't talk to me anymore. I don't need your charity, or help or whatever you think it is; you could possibly tempt me with. As of today, yesterday never happened; consider yourself free from any previous obligation you may have felt. In fact you are even sillier than I thought; if you thought highly enough of yourself to think that I could possibly be so much in need of your friendship._

His words hurt Angela greatly though she decided to respect his wishes and give him his space. Although she couldn't stop herself from allowing a few tears to make an appearance at the rim of her eye lids. He had been the last thread –no matter how bleak the relationship was – that stoped her from giving into her own spiral of angst. He had essentially become her distraction and for him to say that he never needed or wanted her friendship; create da painful rip in her heart, as if he had physically wrenched her heart from her chest.

Angry foot steps began to become louder as the teacher stalked towards Angela. Angela quickly stowed the note way under her desk. The English teacher's usually annoyed face stopped directly in front of Angela's desk, but the teacher harsh gaze softened when she spotted Angela's still bandaged hand. Angela impulsive dropped her right hand to her side, but it was too late, the teacher was already curious.

"Angela, what happened to your right hand?" quizzed the teacher as she pointed at where Angela's right hand had been.

Angela could have sworn she heard Edward groan exasperatedly before she replied, "Sorry Ms. Frost, I was playing with my little cousin and fell... and I must have landed on my wrist by mistake. I think it's just a sprain. It should be better in a few days or so. My handwriting will be pretty illegible until then though."

By the time Angela had finished her lie, the entirety of the class had turned around to look at her. Lauren glared at her for being such a disturbance; Jess seemed to carry a look of sorrowful concern; yet it was Edward's expression that confused her the most. He shook his head slightly as if her answer displeased him, but his eyes seemed to hold a mixture of sadness, admiration and a tormented look as if he hated himself for leaving her that note.

The teacher deliberated her answer for a moment before saying, "Okay, so who's going to write for Angela?"

As Angela expected very few were willing to do so for her. Finally Edward reluctantly and wordlessly raised his hand. Angela smiled in relief. He quickly turned back to face the blackboard. Angela's smile faded though she couldn't stop herself from thinking warmly of him. She didn't know why but despite her prejudices against him and his often unpredictable behaviour; she couldn't help but think that he'd be around for her, even in the smallest ways.

Something New:

The minute Edward was out of his Songbirds sight and hearing; he let out a frustrated shout. He wasn't sure what he had been thinking –walking her home-. He had been trying to convince her not to waste her energy on him but she stupidly wouldn't listen. Walking her definitely was a bad idea. As if to emphasize this idea it seemed what ever force was out there decided to through a particularly tantalizing, smelling human. It took all his strength not to throw her aside and devour him right then and there. Even her mother seemed to detect his impure thoughts as she had immediately stood between him and his chosen prey.

His Songbird had misinterpreted his stony facial expression as a reaction to her mother's hostility and stupidly forced her hand into his. He was thankful for that at least. The beauty of her standing so close to him with her weak, - what he could definitely say was- sour and salty smell; was that it seemed to dull 

his sense of smell. The only downside was it was harder to remember that she wasn't as indestructible as he was – he hardly considered her as prey, as she rarely tempted him. As a result he had unconsciously squeezed her hand too hard, after she'd kissed his cheek. He regrettably didn't mind her being so bold as to do that. It was nice to think that there was someone out there who was willing to dismiss all her better judgement just to make him feel wanted.

That's what made his unconscious abuse all the more heinous. She had been so kind and understanding to him and what had he done to repay her? He had broken millions of her capillaries' and contemplated killing someone so young, and who she loved so dearly. She may not feel it straight away but Edward had heard enough blood vessels burst in his lifetime to know that she would not be able to play the guitar for a while.

He continued his walk back to the school parking lot, where he knew the others had been waiting for him. Alice looked up anxiously. Edward past her and then wordless climbed into the car and ignored any of his siblings attempts at conversing with him.

Edward planned to stay away from his Songbird that night, but he couldn't stop himself from wondering how badly he had injured her. It was obvious, to Edward, the minute he stepped onto his Songbird's lawn that their new found friendship did not go down well.

It was dinner time and his Songbird's mother had already become suspicious as to why his Songbird had such an odd bruise. Her thoughts were already eagerly searching for a viable reason to restrict her daughter's involvement with him. She regrettably welcomed the idea that his Songbird's bruise was his doing. His Songbird screamed in desperation to convince her parents of the current 'innocence' of their relationship, before stalking towards the front door. Edward quickly crouched into the small corner between the porch stairs and the porch; just as she threw the front door open.

His Songbird could feel him, as she always could. She stood their dumbly staring into the darkness as her heart began to race. Her fear had become almost unbearable for him to bear. He began to wish that if she just stepped out of her confinements and find him. He wasn't exactly sure why he wanted her to find him so much. All he knew is every fibre of his being was willing her to take that extra step.

His Songbird's pulse increased as she became more aware of his unspoken wish. He could hear her quietly deliberating the possibility of taken that step. Her motivation to do so was not exactly what Edward would have wished her to have but somehow it didn't matter. All that matter was that she might find the strength to over come her fear once more. If she just found the courage to walk out into the darkness; then he'd be able to be with her again. Edward soon found himself unconsciously quietly urging her to do so.

Edward heard light; hurried footsteps rush towards his Songbird and pull her back just as his Songbird decided to step over the threshold. His Songbird gasped in pain and Edward felt a sudden, violent urge to break the neck of the women who had hurt his Songbird. An instant pang of shame shot through Edward just as quickly as the violence had. This was why he could never completely be with her. There would always be other innocent human's around who would unknowingly hurt her or try to keep her from him and he would instantly feel the need to break every single one of those guilty necks. She would never want him if she knew how obsessively possessive and protective he was of her.

Suddenly his Songbird let out an exasperated sigh and purposefully stormed into her room. Edward moved so that he could sit directly bellow her window. She violently kicked the door before reluctantly glancing at her damaged hand. She groaned at the sight of it and there was something about the desperation, fear and confusion in that groan that made Edward want to reassure her that he had never meant her any harm.

Then Edward heard her slide down her door, hug her knees and begin to cry. There was something about her violent convulsion of sobs that seemed to cut through Edward more painfully than his own loneliness. It was as if suddenly her pain had become his too. The pain was almost unbearable. The way her passionate, painful convulsions seemed to shake her from the inside out, made him temporarily forget about his own. It was impossible to think that as she cried for his unexplained pay, he felt just as equally devastated about hers. Somehow over the weeks in which they have known each other; they had become impossibly attuned to each others emotions. Through this they could potentially be each others downfall and each others saviour. It frightened Edward greatly to think how deeply intertwined their mental state of mind had become.

His Songbird started to realize how uncontrollably loud her sobs were becoming and almost instantly covered her mouth with her good hand. His Songbirds sobs began to sound thick with suffocation and rattled fiercely in his ears. Edward suddenly felt an unstoppable urge to break into her house, bust down her door and gather her up in his arms. He wanted to rip her hand away from her mouth and hold her as tightly as he could, with out breaking her into two. He wanted to stop her from falling apart because he needed her too much. He wanted to but knew that if he gave into such an urge, it would only worsen the situation. His songbird could never know how much he needed her and he would never be able to express it to her without appearing to forceful or obsessive.

Reluctantly Edward remained at his post and waited for his Songbird to tire herself out. Every minute until she finally fell asleep was torture for Edward. He couldn't stand being so close to her and not being able to help her. Finally his Songbird slowly, drifted off to a place he would never be able to follow.

In a rash decision Edward hurled himself up her drain pipe and nimbly landed on her roof. He then turned to her attic window and easily lifted up her window pane. He paused for a moment as she stirred, irritably on the floor – even in her dreams she could sense him. Edward smiled cheekily, when he realized how similar his sudden decision was to that of any stereotypical fairytale; where the 'knight in shinning armour' braved many trials just to reach his damsel, who had always been conveniently hidden in the highest room of the highest tower.

Edward ducked under her window and onto his Songbirds desk. "You just had to lock yourself in the least; easily accessed room in the house didn't you?" he whispered more to himself than to his Songbird. Glad that she would never know he was there. Edward then soundlessly made his way over to his unconscious helper. Instantly reminded of a similar time when his intentions towards his Songbird weren't so pure. Edward felt an instant stab of anguish that only worsened his never ending pain of loneliness, at the memory.

He immediately diverted his, recently golden eyes, from her conflicted face and forced himself to look at her injured hand. He then tentatively lifted her delicate hand to examine it more closely. His Songbird wrinkled her nose but remained very much asleep. Edward always thought it odd that she was decidedly avoiding him during her waking hours but the minute she was in any real close proximately to him, she would be very much unaware to his advances.

After Edward's quick examination, he concluded that the best way to treat such an injury was to bind it and at least try to bring the swelling down with a cool ice pack. Both of these treatments were easily accessible from the medicine cabinet and freezer downstairs. Edward gently gathered his Songbird in his arms and slowly stood up. His Songbird's head gently fell onto his chest –were his heart would have been beating. For Edward, there was slightly awkward moment were he stood motionless, unsure of how to react to his Songbird's involuntary movement. Then his Songbird shivered in response to his cold skin and squirmed uncomfortably in his arms. He felt ashamed that he caused such repulsion with in her and quickly his placed his Songbird on top of her quilt, before he quickly dashed out of her room to retrieve what he needed.

He was back before his Songbird had even finished settling into her bed. Edward felt guilty for so ruthlessly trespassing on his Songbirds property, but he couldn't have allowed her to sleep in such a poor choice of floor space. Edward hoped he wouldn't make a habit of interacting with his Songbird, when she wasn't aware of it. He was starting to feel like her ghost.

Edward began his short walk over to the right side of his Songbird's bed and started to gently wrap her hand. He was finished in no time and quickly attached the ice pack to his Songbird's bandaged hand. He then gently placed her hand on top of her pillow case. Edward then noticed that his Songbird was still wearing her sneakers, so he quickly moved to the edge of her bed to remove them. He methodically untied the shoe lace and gently pulled the sneaker from her small, slender foot. He then changed his attention to the other foot and began gently undoing that shoe lace. His Songbird squirmed, sweetly and drowsily –Edward's eye's shot up to look at his Songbird. She sighed restless and continued her slumber. Edward returned to the work at hand.

"Edward?"

Edward's eyes shot up towards his Songbird again; her eyes were closed and he could tell she was still sleeping. He kept his voice casual as he removed her other sneaker. "Yes?"

"Why do you always look sad?" His Songbird mumbled as she moved her foot subconsciously out of his hand.

Edward sighed, hoping his Songbird wouldn't remember this conversation when she awoke. "Because I can't have what everyone else can. It's frustrating."

He then quietly picked her up again. This time she her whole body seemed to turn to him. He shifted her whole body effortlessly to his left arm, so that he could pull back his Songbird's bed sheets. He then slowly placed her back on the bed and placed his hand under head so his Songbird's head wouldn't land too heavily.

As soon as he loosened his grip on his Songbird; she quickly wriggled away from him. Edward knew it would be easy for him to stop his Songbird from doing this if he only gripped her shoulder; but he couldn't force himself to. He sighed apathetically and pulled the covers over his Songbird. He'd just finished tucking his Songbird in when her hand absently grazed his. "I love you..." His Songbird muttered before turning her back on him.

Edward's eyes narrowed at his Songbird's drowsy declaration. He had always known how his Songbird had felt about him. He'd purposely manipulated her, so that she would feel this way about him. Making his Songbird fall for him had been so easy and simple; like taking candy from a baby. He hated himself for doing that to her. His Songbird now felt things for him that Edward was sure she would not naturally feel. Edward was sure if he had let nature _really_ take its course he wouldn't be standing centimetres away from his Songbird and his Songbird would never have been as isolated from her friends as she was now. Most of his Songbirds current situation was due to his interference: her small, warm, injured hand; the fights; the isolation; her conflicting emotions; even her sanity. He had to stop before he completely destroyed the one thing that was keeping him sane.

Edward quickly glanced at his Songbird's clock. It read 1:30 PM. He whipped the alarm clock cord from its socket and the fluoro red light ceased to shed light on his Songbird's disturbed facial features. He then leaned over his Songbird so his lips were just barely touching her ear, "You're too young to love me." He then seized the clock in one hand and dashed down his Songbird's stairs once more.

He stopped on the second floor as he was met by the tantalizing smell of his would be prey. Not particularly thirsty for his preys blood but curious as to whom was the owner of such a smell, was what brought him to follow the sent to the third room to the left. It was a makeshift nursery and in that nursery was the ungrateful child, his Songbird had been trying to protect from him all those weeks ago. The small human wasn't asleep and it jumped up at his appearance.

Edward walked coolly into the nursery and the child cocked its head in curiosity. He felt a sudden pang of jealousy as he remembered how much easier it was for the child to obtain his Songbird's affection, without trickery. He hated the puny, little, thing; his life would always be infinitely easier than Edward's existence.

Edward was soon standing over the child's cot. The child fell back onto its bottom in reaction to Edwards large and -he supposed- menacing frame. Then Edward slowly placed His Songbird's alarm clock beside the child. The child watched fearfully before looking up at Edward and quite audibly saying "Angie? Angie... clock."

Edward nodded curtly and left his Songbird's house from the backdoor. He couldn't bring himself to exit from his Songbirds room.

The minute Edward arrived back at the house; he was met by Alice's angry welcome. "I thought you told me that you were done playing with the Minister's daughter?"

"I am now." he muttered in a low voice so only Alice could hear him. He tried to push past her so he could enter the house, but she remained unmoved.

"Oh I see, so when is the next time you planning to toy with her? Just so I know not to be surprised, when I see you pulling a fast one; or decide to turn her into one of us; or break into her house. Edward I swear if you don't leave that girl alone; I will start staking her out just so you can't-"

"You don't have to do that. I'm through with her."

Alice narrowed her eyes and searched his face wearily. "I'd ask you for your word on that; but lately your word hasn't meant much."

Edward hoped that hiding his Songbird's alarm clock would stop her from attending school the following day, or at the very least make her miss English class entirely. He wasn't ready to face her and the undoubtedly the questions she would have for his change of heart.

He was the first one to stroll into his class, soon followed by his obsessive lover, Jess and her jealous friend. As always she smiled, warmly at him and tried –but failed- to walk seductively over to him. "Hi," 

she said as her voice broke from nerves, "do you mind if I sit here? It's just I noticed that Angela isn't here today and I'd hate to see you sitting by yourself."

Edward raised an eyebrow - his obsessive lover's heart skipped a beat. "Really, it can't bother you too much. After all my previous table partner sits by herself, all the time, at lunch and you've never looked twice at her."

Jess's smile faltered. She obviously hadn't been expecting this reply. She soon gathered herself to say in a shrill voice, "You don't understand, I'd invite her to sit with us again... It's just..." –Jess glanced over at Lauren – "...sometimes there are just other things that get in the way."

Edward could already hear the reasoning in his obsessive lover's mind. She would invite his Songbird back into the fold, for him. It wasn't exactly what he'd hoped for but he guess he could play along. If it meant that he could right his wrongs. Edward sighed resolutely before pushing his books effortlessly to his side of the table. His Songbird's new best friend smile broadened once more and she clumsily fell into the seat beside him. Jess immediately turned to him and was about to say something of no real consequence when the teacher stalked through the door. "Afternoon everyone and Miss. Stanley stop bothering Mr. Cullen and turn to the front."

Jess frowned but did as she was told. Although Edward could tell she wasn't going to give up. She was determined to talk to him after class. A fact he was glad he had the capacity to avoid.

"Everyone take out your poetry books... What are you smiling about Mr. Cullen?" barked the teacher angrily.

Edward continued to smile impishly, "Nothing Miss, I just really like poetry."

Jess practically melted in her seat when she heard that. His teacher's angry guard faltered for a moment and she smiled girlishly at him. The rest of the male population thoughts were divided between questions of his masculinity or whether he'd just said that to win the girls over.

The rest of the English lesson was spent in mind numbing boredom. The teacher had decided since he loved poetry so much; then he should be obliged to read "How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett-Browning. He was half way through the poem when he heard his Songbird's light footsteps travel down the corridor. Instinctively he stopped reading out loud. He didn't want his Songbird to hear him read such a lovesick poem, because he didn't want her to fall any deeper. It would already be hard enough for him to detach her from his existence; with out her thinking she'd been played.

"Mr. Cullen? You haven't finished the poem," barked the teacher icily.

"Sorry, Ms. Frost but this poem just too much of a chick magnet," replied Edward. His Songbird would soon be in earshot, so his decided big headedness was really only intended for her. "I can't read it any more. Chick's will be endlessly throwing themselves at me if I do."

"What's wrong with that?" piped up a boy called Austen.

The entire male population hooted at his remark, but all fell silent when Edward's Songbird entered the classroom. Edward immediately set all his attention to mentally burning a whole in the black board as he desperately resisted the urge to look at her. He couldn't bear to look at her innocent, naive features.

She anxiously made her way to the back of the classroom and Edward was almost successful in ignoring her until he heard her diary begin to slip from the table. Edward saw his chance to take the cowards' way out of this ridiculous mess. He quickly wrote a note to his Songbird and was finished even before her diary hit the ground. Edward then raced to the back of the classroom and slipped the note into her diary; before returning to his seat –Jess had barely noticed that he was gone. Edward resumed his angry glares at the inanimate blackboard.

In his head he could hear his songbird read his note and her tears clouding her vision. He'd hurt his Songbird more than he thought he would, but it was her resolve to respect his wishes that hurt him the most. No matter what blow he gave his Songbird she would just rollover and say 'do it again!'. He hated her for that. She would make all this a great deal easier if she wasn't so understanding –or blindly in love with him. Then the teacher stalked over to her to her and his Songbird unknowingly made his current situation worse by lying for him. He wished she wasn't so determined to save him; he was already a lost cause.

Finally class ended and it was off to fourth period. He had math with his Songbird's obnoxious lover and his Songbird had music. As he backed up his things; he could hear his Songbird think of asking him about the note he'd left her, so he instinctively struck up a conversation with his least favourite admirer. She complied happily and his Songbird decided it was a sign not to push the issue and sneaked a small, encouraging smile at Jess. Somehow that angered him. He couldn't believe how his Songbird could be in love with him and not feel in the least bit resentful towards her competition. That had to be a first for the human race. They were usually much more territorially and jealous creatures.

"So, Edward... Do you want to go out sometime? We could see a movie." quizzed Jess clearly finished talking about her topic, which meant nothing to him.

Edward exhaled before replying - in a tone that clearly told her never to ask him again – "No, Jess I don't." With that that Edward quickly exited the English room, before Jess could suggest inviting his Songbird along. The last thing he wanted was to be left sitting in a dark room with his Songbird.


	8. Pneumonia

What Doesn't Kill Us:

It was yet another one of fork's signature cloudy days. A week had passed since Edward had resolved to keep his distance from his Songbird and it all the days just seemed to melt into one. Today Edward found himself strolling along Forks only children's playground and park rolled into one.

It had been torture watching his Songbird return to the life she had before they'd met. Yet it was almost just as torturous, for him, if didn't. It was maddening. He couldn't be with his Songbird, but he couldn't be without her.

It was the same for her too; Edward could hear it in her thoughts. There would be times in the lunchroom where he'd feel her looking his way and he'd feel compelled to meet her gaze. Then it seemed like time would stand still for them. The way she stared at him made him feel as if she could hear his thoughts just as clearly as he could hear hers. Edward knew she would never be able to actually read his mind, but it was her slight movements that made him feel as if they could have some silent conversation across the room. It was there little secret; their own private affair.

Of course like all secret affairs; the times when they able to deceive the others never lasted long; only ever a few minutes. Sooner or later Alice would notice his concentrated stares. Or his Songbird's "friend" Jess would turn around to see what had caught her attention. His Songbird would then force a weak, sweet smile and make a joke about her mind going to sleep or drawing a blank. After a few minutes of half hearted animated conversation; her friends would become satisfied enough to return to ignoring her. She would glance back up at him again. Her light brown, almost warm honey coloured, eyes would always be filled with the same confusion and questions she always had and he would never be able to wilfully answer.

Seeing those eyes' always hurt him more than it should. He couldn't let his Songbird see this though. If he could do nothing else; he had to fake indifference. It was his fault she felt that way. If he hadn't been so eager to abuse and manipulate her; his Songbird wouldn't be in this mess. He would know if she had any genuine feelings towards him or wether it had been something he had tricked his Songbird into believing.

Suddenly a high pitched squeal of joy cut through his reverie. It was followed by a chorus of laughter from two boys and over exaggeratedly excited and high pitched feminine voice. He knew who those voices belonged to instantly. He'd recognize their voices anywhere – even when they tried to mask them. He turned the corner of the path and their playing on the grass not to far away from a picnic blanket was his Songbird, her brothers and her little cousin; playing some bizarre game where the objective was for his Songbirds little cousin to knock his relatives down.

His Songbird received an aggressive nudge from the little one. It was done with some much force that she was propelled onto her back. Edward could see her pull herself up slightly dazed only to be knocked down once more with a just as aggressively affection hug. She coughed madly as the wind was literally knocked out of her. Soon one of her brothers came to her rescue and playfully pulled his Songbird's attacker off of her and carried the culprit to a few meters away.

The ruff housing continued without Edward's Songbird for several minutes until the child noticed her absence. Her sudden inactivity annoyed the ungrateful child. It ran back over to Edward's Songbird – who still remained on her back, breathing unsteadily on the grass. Edward made an unconscious movement towards her but resolved to stay in the shade. He could hear her quiet breathing, magnified in his ears; there was an added subtle rasping to the noise.

His Songbird closed her eyes as if trying to snap herself out of some over shadowing illness, before the insolent child stopped authoritatively above Edward's Songbird, with a discontent expression on its face. He then dropped his weight abruptly onto his Songbirds stomach. Edward winced as he heard his Songbird yelp in surprise and unconsciously knock the little one away off. Her brothers ran forward out of alarm and blocked Edward's view. His Songbird immediately sat up and insisted that there was nothing. That she just needed to rest.

Edward knew that what had slowly taken its hold on his Songbird was nothing. Her heart rate was too fast and weak for that. Even from this distance Edward could feel her radiate an immense amount of heat. He just hoped –for his Songbird's sake – that he was over-reacting.

Edward's Songbird was away all week, that following week. This worried him. Every time he'd past her house in his car; she would become more ill. What made it all the more worse was that his Songbird refused to acknowledge her state of health and so had managed to convince her family of this fact.

He knew what had caused her illness. He had. It was because he had left her window open that night two weeks ago. She had now had it in her head that it must always be open. Forks had never been the place for such an activity and now with the onset of winter; her little habit of leaving her window open was down right stupidity. No matter how many times her relatives closed her window; she would just simply re-open her shutters once they had left.

His Songbird definitely had to be the most fickle human he had ever come across. And yet there was nothing he could do about it. Every movement he had made so far would always result in some form of misfortune for her. Not that Alice was allowing any room for him to make a move though. The minute he'd made a decision to intervene in his Songbird's life; she would be there to give him another severe warning. She was watching his future decisions like a hawk. He just wished she'd be so diligent with his Songbirds.

On Friday his prayer was answered. Although it came as a shock to Edward; when Alice stepped out in front of him, in the Forks High school corridor - she had kept her mind cluttered with an insufferable teenage pop song about 'candy'. It was the last period of the day and he had English once again with that incorrigible child, Jess.

"We need to talk," announced Alice as she forcefully seized his arm and dragged him into the open air.

Edward looked around for Jasper; hoping that maybe his mind would reveal more than Alice's. Jasper's thoughts were just as ambiguous, so Edward was forced to wait for Alice to say more.

Instead it was Jasper who spoke, "Edward I know your worried about this girl in your English – I can feel it – and I just want you to know that there's due cause for this. Alice..." Jasper looked over at Alice with a mixture of admiration and an emotion Edward couldn't quite pinpoint, "Well Alice has foreseen that -"

"She's not going to get better," Edward finished Jaspers sentence, as he read his mind.

"It's her own fault really," Alice said as if to assure him that he shouldn't feel too bad about this, "I mean the silly girl wouldn't close her window. And she is trying to be a hero by insisting her health is better... than it is."

"It's not going to be a happiest next couple of months in Forks. Too many people care about her for it to be any other emotion." warned Jasper once again using his gift to keep what ever emotion that was revealing it's self in Edward at bay.

"Can anything be done to prevent this?" Edward ordered emotionlessly, as the same recurring thought entered his mind.

Alice's eye's narrowed "Don't you dare put that plan into action. You know that not one of us would wish this existence on anyone."

"Edward humans die all the time. It was destined to happen to her sooner or later."

Edward scoffed in dulled anger, "Well, I'd rather it be later."

"I don't think you get a choice," mumbled Alice solemnly.

"really?" questioned Edward as he slowly stepped away from Jasper and Alice, "We'll see about that."

Alice stepped quickly towards Edward; but before she could get a firm grip on him, he was gone.

It was only a matter of seconds before he reached his Songbird's front door. He abruptly knocked on the door. All the while Edward tried to control him so he wouldn't accidently punch a whole through it. Shortly after, there was an aggravated murmur and Edward could hear footsteps, stomp down his Songbird's hallway to the front door. The footsteps stopped short of the door and a slow creak of the door handle signified that his call would soon be answered.

The door swung backwards effortlessly, but was stoped short; only to reveal a shadowed version of its current master.

"What are you doing here?" Snapped Edward's Songbird's mothers icily as she stepped in front of him; too block his view of the hallway.

Edward put on a facade of perfect serenity as he simply replied, "Your daughter hasn't been at school for a while. I was worried."

His Songbird's mother crossed her arms aggressively and sneered mercilessly at him, "_My daughter_, Angela, doesn't need a boy like you to worry about her."

Edward frowned with a mixture of frustration and anxiety. It was obvious that this mother wasn't just going to let him walk in and take her. "Please may I see her?" pleaded Edward imploringly.

"You should be in school. Come back later," ordered the mother as she motioned to close the door in his face, "I'm sure what ever it is you need to say can wait. She's not that sick."

Edward stuck his hand to catch the door and raised his head a fraction higher so he could meet the mother's eyes. He then quietly said unemotionally, "That's what my mother told me before I lost her. I lost her because she insisted she wasn't _that _sick."

His Songbird's mother's face dropped in surprise, but managed to do little else.

"I'm sick of everyone telling me how things should be. I want to see it for myself."

The mother opened the door again and muttered quietly, "Okay, but just for a few minutes. Then you have to go back to school."

She took off back down the corridor and Edward followed after her, kicking the door closed with the heel of his foot. She anxiously made her way up the steps and Edward pretended to look curiously around himself as he crept beside her. Finally they reached his Songbird's bedroom and her mother apprehensively swung the door back, to allow him entrance. "Please try and stay as quiet as possible, she's most likely sleeping." Her mother heaved a sigh and muttered almost inaudibly, "She does that a lot lately."

Edward's eyes immediately landed on his Songbird - She moved irritably when she felt his presence. It was here in the day time; he could see everything in a new light. Her quilted bed cover, looked like it could have belonged to the bed of an 18th century doll house for a child. The dull light caused by the clouds outside danced off her pale, white cheek; causing there almost child like features to become more prominent.

Everything in the room signified exactly what she was; a child. That's what she was in comparison to him; a child. Who had so much more that she could, would experience. Yet here he stood; ready to cut all those experiences short. His only justification was that if he didn't than death would. It was a cruel ultimatum and neither outcome would be joyous. Still Edward could help wishing there was another way. One that Alice hadn't seen, because no one had thought of it.

Looking for a diversion; to prolong his visit until he found another way; Edward's eyes rested on his Songbird's empty guitar stand. He turned to her mother, "Where is her guitar?"

She looked taken aback, "At the music shop. It needed to be restrung... I'm guessing you've heard her play then."

"She has an extraordinary talent."

Her mother flushed with pride, "She took to it like a duck to water at such an early age. Of course I blame my husband's brother for that. He was constantly playing Beatle songs on his guitar. She idolized him so much. She hasn't been herself since he left."

Edward nodded in agreement before sneaking another anxious look at his Songbird. He could hear in her mother's thoughts – despite her mother's peacefulness – that she knew this was more than the flu; but her wish for everything to be okay was getting in the way of her taking any action.

Edward tore his eyes away from his Songbird and calmly asked if his Songbird had been to see a doctor.

Her mother replied, "It's been difficult to get an appointment and Mark – my husband – has gone away with his laymen on a religious retreat. Besides Lucy – Angela's aunty – took our other car to leave Seattle for the week t. So we've had no car all week and I can't just leave the twins home by themselves. Besides Angela's getting better, anyway - I can feel it."

Edward could see that his Songbird's mother was slowly loosing her own resolve, "Do you mind if I call Carlisle and see if he can make a house call? After all it's the least I can do. Your daughter has been nothing but perfectly amiable towards me."

Carlisle was than less than please with Edward's behaviour. The car ride to the hospital was done in complete silence – despite Esme's best efforts. Carlisle's normally charismatic, calm veneer had been replaced with a solemn disappointment. Edward couldn't force himself to look Carlisle in the eye so he set his gaze on the review mirrors that reflected Esme and His Songbird sitting in the back seat.

Esme had her arms draped motherly around his Songbird's shoulder's to stop her from slouching. Every time Edward accidently moved his gaze to Esme she would mutter various forms of encouragements. That he hadn't done anything wrong. Edward found it hard to look at her too and so set his mind to listening for any change that might occur in his Songbird's heart beat. Soon her heart beat began to resemble too much of a ticking bomb; that it took all his strength not leap into the backseat and diffuse it.

The car stopped abruptly in the Fork's General Hospital car park. Carlisle slid fluidly out of the car and headed of to the administration office all the while consciously thinking the words, _"Edward, carry her."_

Edward raced to Esme's side of the car and announced Carlisle's intentions.

Esme looked shocked, before answering, "I suppose it would look odd if I carried her. I'm not the best at pretending that something is too heavy for me," she reluctantly slipped out of the car; clearing the way for Edward, "Please be careful with her. We don't want another unexplained grip like bruise to coincidently appear after you're gone."

Edward ignored her and hauled his Songbird's searing hot frame into his arms once again. His Songbird mumbled a protest, but did nothing more; so he and Esme set off in the direction of the Hospital entrance.

"I'm sorry, who has fungal pneumonia?" questioned a stunned hospital receptionist, as she efficiently checked for a ward with a spare bed. Edward could hear her tap away lazily on the keyboard.

"Miss Angela Weber." Answered Carlisle calmly, but quickly shot an anxious glance as Edward and Esme entered the foyer.

The receptionist looked over the top of her computer flabbergasted, "Where are her parents? And why is... why is your son carrying her? Dr. Cullen, you of all people should know that we need parental consent – "

"Dad, what do I do now?" cut in Edward in a faux strained voice as he shifted his Songbird slightly in his arms.

Carlisle pretended to instruct Edward not to drop his Songbird before turning his attention back to the receptionist.

Esme stepped forward innocently producing a note written from Edward's Songbird's mother, "I think this is what you're looking for."

Edward shifted his Songbird again –in keeping with the charade- except this time the shift caused his Songbird to unconsciously place her burning hot hand on part of bare skin on his neck. The stark coldness of his skin seemed to awaken something close to a basic instinct in his Songbird. She was burning up and wanted to relieve her temperature; and his skin was unnaturally cold. According to his Songbird; his skin had become, in comparison, as good as any frozen ice pack or damp cloth.

Her grasp on to the side of his neck, became firmer and was soon followed by her other hand. His Songbird immediately began to attempt to pull herself closer to his ice cold neck. Edward locked his arms around his Songbird to restrict her from succeeding any further and shot a glance at Esme. Esme had been watching him closely the entire time and knew immediately of his predicament. Her face was set in determined grimace and nodded, "_let her_." She then turned away from him and joined Carlisle in the discussion.

Edward warily released his hold on his Songbird just slightly and allowed her to continue her clutching. But she was to weak to haul herself up; so Edward cautiously lifted her just slightly so she could grasp his cold neck more firmly. Her arms wrapped themselves greedily around his neck in - what should have been - a vice like hug. He could feel himself quite literally being surrounded by his Songbirds heat. It was unfamiliar territory for him – to have some one clutch so needily at him. He shot another glance at Esme and Carlisle. There appeared to be some technical medical law Carlisle and Esme couldn't charm their way around.

His Songbird squirmed incorrigibly in his arms, as she moved closer – to take full advantage of his neck. She relinquished her hand's hold on his neck, only to replace their absence with the side of her neck. 

She placed the side of her neck in the hollow of his. He could feel the blood gush rapidly through the veins in her neck. It was becoming increasingly hard to concentrate. Venom was starting to fill is mouth at the prospect of having such a vulnerable victim so close. She then placed her hands on the on his cheeks and he quickly jerked away, so her hands fell away.

This didn't deter her. Her flushed cheek soon made contact with his. He had begun to wonder why Carlisle or Esme had not noticed his Songbird's strange activity. What was even more curious was the fact was, although he had the strength to do so, he would not entirely inhibit his Songbird's advances. His Songbird squirmed once more and this time a pair of searing red, hot lips met his neck.

Edward froze. She wasn't kissing him. It had nothing to do with expressing emotions. She wasn't even aware of her actions. Her mind was in too much of a dream state, for her to have any real idea of what was fact or fiction. As far as she was concerned he was just a conveniently placed ice sculpture. She would have placed her lips on the stop sign outside if she thought it had done any good. Edward knew this. It was just harder to convince himself that he did know this. If he wasn't careful Edward knew that too much analysis of this situation could be severely misconstrued.

Finally Edward found enough strength to act on this severe violation of unwanted physical contact. He gently peeled his Songbird's arms away from his shoulders. Then he lightly shifted his Songbird to the side –careful not to make it look to easy – and pinned one of her arms to her side - so she couldn't resume her continual harassment. She muttered another protest and absently shot her other hand towards his neck. He caught it before she even reached half way and brought it back down to her side. "That enough of your games now," Edward whispered gently, in an almost brother-like tone.

All Except One:

A figure stalked back and forth at the foot of Angela's hospital bed. She couldn't determine anymore details than that as she couldn't raise her eye's any further than slits. The combination of her illness and the noxious medication now flowing through her veins would not allow much more activity. As a result the pacing figure; remained a majestic stranger. Angela guessed it would be better this way. After all ignorance was suppose to be bliss.

The figure's presence made her feel uneasy. It was a strange familiar uneasiness that reminded her of Edward. In its own way it seemed to comfort her. At least she wasn't alone here. Although she was sure this comfortable apathy had more to do with the numbing medicines, being administered to her via a intravenous drip.

Angela let her medicated drowsiness pull her into a disjointed sleep. As she did so; she thought she could feel the figure draw closer to her. She moved her head just slightly as if to acknowledge its advances. It immediately relinquished its advance. She smiled secretly to herself. Who ever it was; she seemed to have quite a hold over. At least that would be one thing in her universe that she could control.

Her smile seemed to aggravate the figure. She thought she heard a low-throated growl. If she hadn't felt so groggy she was sure the growl would have been quite threatening. But because this was not so, the growl seemed nothing more than a joke to her. The ambiance in the room change and Angela was sure that the figure was secretly laughing in its own mind too. That was a good sign. It meant that the figure was a friend and not a foe.

Finally Angela nodded her head against the hospital pillow as if to say "enough games, I'm tired." She didn't here the figure leave but the ambience in the room changed once more. She was sure that the figure had now left her to her own devices. Angela wondered if the figure would ever return. She doubted that it would. Then again she doubted that she would recognize the figure if it did return.

Angela was to spend a total of three weeks in hospital and then another week at home before she could return to school. It would be a dreary routine of nurses appearing and disappearing and Doctor Cullen's daily check up. Not too mention a steadily decreasing stream of curious townspeople; all wanting just that little bit more information about Edward Cullen's involvement in the matter.

The truth was that she had very little information to give; much less the energy to do so. All she could really remember was that she'd gone to sleep in her bed and had some how ended up in a hospital bed. She had actually been quite shocked to find he was the one who had helped to put her there.

She had been so sure that he would be the last person to visit. Not to mention the fact that her mother was near immoveable when it come to her opinion of people. What on Earth could he have said that would have convinced her mother enough to allow him entrance into their home? She'd also known that Edward was a smooth talker, but such charisma would almost be a super power.

Yet, when she asked what had been said, her mother would frown and tell her not too worry about it and that she had grossly misjudged certain parts of him. Then she would also digress into a tangent of how detrimental town gossip can be to a person's reputation. She would look beseechingly at Angela then, as if she was trying to Angela to watch her own.

"So how are we feeling today, Miss Weber?" Questioned Doctor Cullen in his usual charming and fatherly voice as he went about checking everything connected to her was as it should be. It had been a week since she was admitted to 'Forks General Hospital'.

"Like... I'm... breathing... through... a jar of... honey... with... a straw... and the straw... is only... three... tooth picks... wide in... Diameter." gasped Angela as she tried to voice herself to breath deeper.

"Well that's good. It show's your improving," chortled Doctor Cullen warmly, "tomorrow let's try for a normal sized straw."

It took Angela several shallow breathe before she could reply, "How... is... that... an... improve...ment? It... still... hurts... to... breathe"

Angela tried to sit up but Doctor Cullen lightly pushed her back down as his expression changed to concern, "I can fix that, if you'd like."

Angela nodded resignedly – the combination of talking and breathing was making her extremely tired. Doctor Cullen made his way over to fiddle with the intravenous drip.

She hated having to stay in bed all day, much less a hospital bed. It made her feel helpless. Like some stupid damsel in distress who had to impose herself on others; all because she couldn't look after herself. Last time she checked; she was getting along just fine without the help of anyone else. After all she had managed to over come the majority of her fears. Although in hind sight she had to admit that leaving her window open, to welcome that dark force, probably wasn't the best approach.

Angela turned her head to look her hand that had once been covered in a blue grip. The mark was gone now, along with the bandage. But she still couldn't get the image of it out of her mind. It had been such an odd occurrence. It had appeared almost right after Edward had left her three weeks prior. As if it was the universe trying to warn her to stay away from him.

Why it would do that, she had no idea. Though it seemed neither did the universe. It didn't seem to know which of Angela's worlds it preferred; a world with Edward or a world without. She wished it would make up its mind. All this constant change was starting to become more and more dangerous by the minute. If she, the universe or Edward weren't careful she could end up dying a rather bizarre and untimely death.

"A penny for your thoughts," interrupted Doctor Cullen. It appeared to Angela that he had been watching her intently for quite sometime.

Angela looked out the hospital window for a moment. Cruelly reminded of what had been laying dormant outside her window every night, "Ever... been... afraid... to go... outside?"

Doctor Cullen raised his eye brows slightly bemused, "No, I can't say I have. Why?"

He slowly made his way back over to Angela's bed and she flinched involuntarily. She didn't know why but she didn't like it when Doctor Cullen approached her. It was something about the ease of his movements that made her feel vulnerable. Something about his movement told Angela that he probably wasn't the right one to talk to.

She changed tact, "Alice... and Jasper... came to... visit... yesterday. It was... strange... I've never... never... spoken to... them... before..."

Doctor Cullen looked at her curiously,"Well, those two have always been the more compassionate siblings."

"And... Rosa-lie...and Emmet... the... day... before." She gasped hurriedly.

Doctor Cullen soon resumed his composure. "I assure you they would only have visited out of pure curiosity." He said adding in a dazzling warm smile.

Angela looked at her right hand again before she wheezed, "but... no... Edward."

Doctor Cullen patted her arm reassuringly, "You mustn't take it too heart. Edward is a lot more reserved than the others."

Angela furrowed her eye brows confused, "but ... he came... to my... house. I wouldn't... be here... if..."

"I can assure you Miss Weber. He will not be visiting any time soon."

"Why...? Are... you... angry... with -?"

"No. It was his choice."

Angela frowned, "I... need... I need to... speak... to... him."

"If you have any questions I would be more than happy to attempt in answering them."

Angela looked away from Doctor Cullen, "I... don't... think... you... could. It's... personal."

"Angela nothing is more private than doctor patient confidentiality. I swear I will never tell a sole for as long as I live."Doctor Cullen assured playfully placing a hand over his heart. Angela couldn't be sure; but she was sure she there was a double meaning to his words. "Please, if Edward has done something or said something; I need to know."

Angela turned her head away determined to not indulge in anymore conversation.

"Okay then. I will see you in the afternoon then."

Doctor Cullen then made his graceful way to the door.

"Wait...!" pleaded Angela in a panic. Doctor Cullen turned calmly back to face her. She forced herself to take the deepest breath she could muster, "I... need to... know... why... Edward... is always there... when... something... bad... happens."

Doctor Cullen tapped the frame of the doorway pensively. His intent stare seemed to imply that he thought she may be a missing link to a puzzle he'd long given up on solving. She hoped that he was wrong.

Doctor Cullen heaved a resigned sigh, "As I can't really answer that; I will see if I can convince Edward to visit you some time soon."


	9. Just Close Enough

Questions and Diplomatic Answers:

"_Edward, be careful around that girl," had been Jasper's instructions, "When Alice and I visited her; she seemed to exude an aura of innocent openness. It can be quiet disarming. It almost made me want to tell her everything that haunts me. My best suggestion, would be to re-think every little word your about to say; otherwise she might find a loop whole."_

_Edward had just scoffed then, "Jasper, I think I've been around her long enough to know just how to handle her."_

Now that Edward was walking down the 'Fork General Hospital' corridor he wasn't so sure of this fact. After all he hadn't managed to restrain her from holding on to him. It was all he could do, to refrain himself from biting her. What if he was faced with a similar situation, today? There would only be only so many times that he could resist temptation and few times still were luck would save her.

He often wondered if it would have just been easier to let the pneumonia take her. It would certainly be easier than have her constantly dangled in front of him every minute of the day. Then sporadically taken away from him; just when he thought it was getting slightly easier to exist without her. It was almost like the universe was playing one life sized game of reverse psychology and the stakes had just become more far more destructive and cruel.

A nurse bustled worriedly in front of him. Then tripped a little and gasped when she caught the sight of his cursed handsome face. She turned slightly to catch another look at him; revealing a moderately attractive, young face – she couldn't have been more than twenty-three. Edward raised his eyebrows in a faux bemused expression. She stumbled backwards before returning to her hurried walk.

As soon as she was gone, Edward's expression became more serious. The nurse's thoughts were no laughing matter. They had read, _"Angela Weber's gone. She's not in her room... I was supposed to keep an eye on her... Oh, I am in so much trouble..!"_

So, his Songbird was gone. According to Carlisle Edward's Songbird was lucky if she could maintain a short conversation without struggling for breath. Which posed the question; how did she manage to walk out of her room without detection? Considering her current situation it probably wasn't worth dwelling on until she was safely back in her bed. Knowing the human race; Edward was sure they wouldn't find her until it was too late.

Edward heaved a sigh and set his instincts to finding his prodigal Songbird. It wasn't long before Edward could hear the distinct sound of a classic Guitar being plucked vibrating through the thin walls of the hospital. Edward followed the calming noise obediently. There was no singing to compliment the somewhat hindered plucking, only slight whisperings of the lyrics – she couldn't manage much more than that. He turned the corner, but still the music was somehow behind the walls. He turned another and the music and rasping whispering became more prominent; her weak heart beat was added to his Songbird's siren like music.

Finally Edward came to a door that read, "Fire Exit". As he stopped in front of the door, his Songbird's plucking faulted to produce an uncharacteristic twang. Edward wondered if it was really worth revealing himself to her. Nothing could be gained from this meeting. Nothing could ever be gained from their partnership; only pain. He contemplated on finding the worried young nurse he'd seen not too long ago and hinting at his Songbird's hiding place to her.

His Songbird's words suddenly become louder and more determined; as she could sense his indecision. Once again the hollowness Edward experience every minute of everyday; was immediately slipped away. Of course the usual feeling of longing to be with his Songbird appeared soon followed. It was torture. He knew he would have to resist this and walk away.

His Songbird's voice soon took on a forced clarity; as if she could sense his apprehension. It was almost as if she was purposely trying to draw him out of hiding. Even her words seemed to be indirectly challenging him to reveal himself. He could feel it in her voice as she tried to sing the line, "...And I'm a bad boy because I don't even miss her, I'm a bad boy for breaking her heart."

Edward's eye's narrowed as he heard the double meaning to the lyrics. She thought he didn't miss her one bit. This aggravated him. How could she think that? After all the times he'd tried to fix things; after he'd personal gone to her house, just to save her. She wouldn't be here or alive for that matter, if it wasn't for him.

He didn't quite know what motivated him to do this but he finally forced himself to turn the handle of the door and reveal himself. His Songbird was sitting on the first landing of the upper flight of stairs. Her light brown eyes had been fixed on the door as if she was expecting him. However her shocked facial expression suggested that it was quite the contrary. Yet there was passing thought that occurred simultaneously that contradicted everything else. Edward stared at her incredulously. What was the meaning of her thoughts? What exactly did was meant by 'it worked'?

Edward immediately placed his hands behind his back. She gripped her guitar tighter; as if she was caught between her instinct to run away from him and her wish to throw her, frail arms around him. She wore a pair of Ugg boots, track pants and the hospital gown for a shirt. She also wore a navy blue trench coat - she obviously had intended to go outside.

"Congratulations, you found Me." she stated mockingly - although there was a slight hint of awe masked in her voice - , "_You_ win a prize."

Her word's had been so ironic that it made Edward laugh. "Is this what your little game of hide and seek is about?" questioned Edward.

There absence from each other hadn't created any distance in the least. If anything the absence had indirectly broken through their defences. Absence hadn't made their hearts grow fonder. It just made them less cautious.

His Songbird looked away, playing coy, "Well, I had to do something. I was going insane, with the monotony - they wouldn't let me play in my room."

Edward nodded nonchalantly as he stepped to the side. He did not taking his eyes off his Songbird. She returned his gaze. There was something about the way his Songbird returned his gaze that made him slightly uneasy.

"The acoustics in here are okay, too. Not as good as the bathroom though." His songbird stated in matter of fact sort of tone. Shortly after, she paused to unleash a violent, barking cough.

Edward raced up the stairs and quickly caught her before she could fall forward. He obviously moved to fast because her eye's widened in shock and her breathe was soon caught in her throat. Edward suddenly felt panic stricken and before he could stop himself he'd placed his hands on the tops of her shoulders. He then hastily ordered, "Breathe, force yourself to."

His Songbird exhaled and inhaled on command. After a few breaths her breathing became more rhythmic; but there was an uneven shaking to it that had nothing to do with the pneumonia. Edward released an apprehensive smile at how ridiculous he was behaving, "You scared me there, for a minute."

"Ditto," spluttered his Songbird, "how is it you can move so fast?"

Edward released his grip on his Songbird and looked away from her.

"I'm sorry," muttered his Songbird worriedly, "I guess if you told me, you'd probably have to kill me? Right?" She ended her sentence with an innocently mocking grin.

"Something like that," answered Edward seriously, still determined to look away from her.

"Well then in that case... we'll just say... it's in your genes." announced his Songbird anxiously. He could tell she was afraid he would leave her again.

He ignored her attempt, "You told Carlisle, that you had some questions for me. Well I'm here to answer them... within reason."

She took a few minutes of careful breathing to answer, "Once I'm finished asking... will you leave again?"

He looked at her seriously before answering, "I won't be leaving anything. Nothing can ever happen between us – I told you that last time. "

"Well in that case; I'll just have to keep coming up with questions; so you can't leave."

"It won't work like that. This world doesn't work on technicalities."

"Then we'll just have to make that world ourselves than," protested his Songbird before being consumed by another bout of violent bark of hers. She began to inch forwards, off her step.

Edward caught her again and forced her to look into his eyes, "That world does not and will not ever exist."

"It won't if you won't let it." His Songbird's spluttered, "Can't you; just for one day; pretend that your not who you think you are and I'll pretend I'm not who you think I should be. From now on I'm just as screwed up as you think you are and you're just as innocent as you think I am."

He turned away from her. Her eyes were beginning to make him believe that there could be such a place or time for them. It was a dangerous thought; to think that they might be able to find away to co-exist, "You're too young for that."

"And you're too guarded to notice a chance for redemption when it's sitting right in front of you."

He smirked cruelly, "Is that what you think you are?"

She leaned away from him, slightly intimidated, "If...if... that's what you want me to be." She bit her bottom lip apprehensively, "Please we have to do something. All that pain and sorrow you exude almost kills me. I'm worried if you don't let someone in its going to kill you. Please, I swear I won't think of you any differently."

Edward shook his head indifferently, "I came here to clear the air and that is all I will do today. So... you're questioning time starts now."

"Why did you give me that horrible letter, telling me to but out of your life; only too be the first to visit my house?"

"You were missing too much school. I wanted to check you weren't just trying to avoid me."

Edward's Songbird raised her eyebrows unconvinced.

"I was worried that you wouldn't get better."

"You don't really know what you want, do you?"

Edward scowled, but his Songbird only smiled warmly and said that she probably wouldn't be so determined to befriend him, if he did, "It's all about the chase with me."

"Next question, please."

"What did you say to my mum that made her let change her opinion of you?"

"I told her about my mum."

His Songbird frowned unexpectedly and mindlessly followed with, "What happened to her?"

"Next question," ordered Edward, changing the subject instinctively.

"I'm sorry. I guess that was a bit too personal."

"Next question..."

"Why do I get the feeling that I've stumbled into something big and dark every time I'm around you and your family?" questioned his Songbird seriously; it obvious that this was the biggest question that was plaguing her.

"Next question..."

Edward's Songbird's eyes narrowed irritated, "You're not being very cooperative."

"I said I would answer you're questions, _within_ reason. The last two have not qualified as reasonable questions."

"That's not fair. You're answers have all been very vague."

"They have not been vague. They're diplomatic." Edward replied smiling impishly.

His Songbird returned the smile –his smile had caught her off guard. Soon she remembered that she was angry with him. Edward's Songbird slowly stood up from her step and picked up her guitar. "Fine," she replied, "two can pay at that game." With that she began her journey down the steps.

Edward stood up immediately and stuck his arm out and caught her, so he could help her down the steps. She stoped immediately and pushed weakly against his out stretched arm, "No, Edward, I can do it myself."

Regardless of whether she was capable of this or not; he left his arm there. She started pushing all of her body weight against him, "Damn it Edward. I'm making a point here."

"You making that point might resolve in a fall. There are two many steps. "

His Songbird didn't stop pushing against him, "Well let me fall. I'll never know my limits if you're always there to stop me short of them." The sudden activity and stress caused another deadly barking attack.

Edward's face fell and he quickly placed his hands on the sides of his Songbird's pale cheeks; before gently tilting her face so he could see her face. The attack didn't stop and her breathing was becoming more urgent and shallow at the same time. "Just keep breathing," He then carefully draped her arm around his neck and gathered the rest of her up in his arms once more. Leaving the guitar on the top step; he quickly made his way down the steps with her. It wasn't until he'd made it to the hospital corridor that he realized His Songbird had her grasped fistfuls of his jacket in attempt to hold on to him.

"IS THERE A NURSE OR A DOCTOR AROUND?" bellowed Edward, desperately listening for any sound of running feet. There was a pair coming from the corridor on the far left. Edward darted towards them and was met by the same nurse he'd seen earlier and middle aged resident.

"Oh, thank God! Where did you find her?" questioned the nurse with misplaced relief.

"Does it matter?" growled Edward, angrily.

The nurse looked taken aback; but finally her companion was far less emotional, "Come on this way."

Wait:

She couldn't breathe. It was terrifying she was forcing herself to inhale; but the air would only stop short of her throat. What was worse was that despite all this; all she could think about was how this shock might make Edward run again. There were voices all around her urgently ordering each other around. None of them made any sense; for all she knew, she could be carried into a room fall of strangers.

Who had been carrying her? All she could remember was Edward's golden eyes boring into hers and then being tipped horizontally. She couldn't remember feeling Edward move, but before she new it; two other people had joined them. She wanted to cover her ears when Edward bellowed. It was too loud and too pained. What was worse was that she caused it. Why did she have to hurt him like that?

Suddenly her world tipped backwards and she was placed on a flat surface. Edward's hands released their grip on her and all she could think of how he was going to run again. She had worked too hard and been so close to getting him to open up; and now she was going to loose her chance, once again. Angela instinctively tightened her grasp on his jacket; but he gentle tugged her hands away with ease. She felt so weak.

Someone rolled her onto her side and he was gone. She couldn't see anything as her eyes had welled up with tears, with the effort it took her to breath. She was blind and alone in a room of strangers. It was terrifying. Whether she ever caught her breath again depended on strangers. Then as if some could hear her fears; two icy cold hands appeared out of nowhere and encased her left, "its okay... I'm here. Just keep breathing."

Her breathing calmed itself but remained shallow. Angela couldn't see him but she knew he was close. All that Angela could really see of him was this white blur that mixed with a bronze colour and two topaz jewels every time he moved.

Finally someone jabbed her with an Epipen. It acted almost immediately. It was almost instant relief as her air waves cleared to their normal size. She inhaled as deeply as she could; fixing her still vacant eyes in the direction Edward's voice had come from. She hadn't realized before but she had gripped Edward's hand so hard that her knuckles had become bleached white. Yet his hands stayed in place unflinchingly. His icy hands were starting to make her hand go numb. Regardless of this fact, she refused to let go of his hand. Afraid that if she did, he'd take that as a sign that he could run away again.

Somebody then rolled Angela onto her back and Edward released his grip. She wanted to protest, but she felt too weak to do so. Someone else then placed an oxygen mask over her mouth. The oxygen made her drowsy and she reluctantly slipped away in to blackness. With her last thought being, that thanks to her bad luck, she was going to loose him again.

Angela awoke sometime later in her original hospital room. She scanned her eyes over the room. Her guitar Jude had been reinstated on its guitar stand. She guessed Edward had brought it back, just before he'd left. She continued her survey; various school books had been placed on various flat surfaces. She had asked Jess to bring them here so she wouldn't get behind in her school work. It had been a ridiculous idea; she was no good at self-directed learning. Her eye's scanned the room disinterestedly. All that was left in the room were 'Get Well Soon' cards, flowers, chocolate –not that she ever felt like eating them -, sheets of tabulated music and Edward reading her poetry book.

Angela quickly looked away in shock, before looking back again to check she had just been imagining it. Though sure enough; there he was; sitting in the only other chair in the room, lazily flicking through the pages of her poetry book. He raised his eyes from the page to meet her gaze. She abruptly turned her head away; as if that in doing such an action would instantly cause Edward to disappear.

Her mum was going to kill her. Unless they were family; Angela hadn't been allowed to have a boy in her room since she was eleven.

Edward smirked impishly, "Gee. We just can't seem to get into sync with each other. First you didn't want to associate with me. Then I didn't want to be around you and now we've done a complete circle."

Angela unhooked the oxygen mask, keeping her eyes plastered on the wall opposite her, "You shouldn't be here."

"Sorry my mistake," he replied nonchalantly. He placed her book on the table bedside him before getting up to leave.

"Wait, just because you shouldn't doesn't mean you can't. Besides... you still haven't answered my questions," she stuttered lamely. She was really just looking for a diversion to prolong their meeting.

He crossed his arms pondering her words with mock seriousness, "Well we can't have unanswered questions now; can we? ... I guess I will have to come back tomorrow."

"And... you're answer's weren't very good today either." added Angela quickly catching on.

"Technically speaking, I already answered those questions."

"It's a good thing we don't live in a technicality oriented world then."

He laughed –it was such a shocking out burst for Angela- , "You've got me there." After a minute or so, his smile faded, "I should be leaving."

"Wait!" screamed Angela once again panicked, "What if I run out of questions?"

Edward's golden eye's narrowed curiously before he smoothly walked over to her pile of school books on a table, "I suppose with all the school you're missing; you'll be in need of a tutor."

Angela cocked her head to the side bemused. She finally realized what Edward was talking about. "Oh... yes... I'm going to need lots of help. Do you know of any who would help me?"

He smirked, "Yes, in fact I do."

Angela pretended to widen her eyes in awe, "Is the tutor incredibly intelligent?"

"Yes, I think he is."

"Does he still go to school?"

"Yes, he's in one of your classes actually."  
"Really, do you think I'd find him attractive?"

Edward raised his eyebrows with bemused surprise; Angela maintained her determined mock expression. He then coolly said, "I've heard that most girls think he's very pleasing to the eye."

"Does he have fine eyes?" quizzed Angela sheepishly.

"Again, most of the ladies in our year think so."

"I know who it is," announced Angela with mock excitement, "it's... Eric Yorkie!"

Edward chuckled again and wore a look that seemed to suggest he was expecting her twist, "Well, I was going to recommend myself as a suitable tutor –"

"Well, someone has a high opinion of themselves," Angela sassed.

He ignored her "- but considering you have quite a different preference... I suppose I could ask him."

"OH, no I'm sure you would do just fine," she protested before breaking into a fit of coughing. The coughing soon died, "Even if you're not my first preference."

"Oh, but my dear; the heart wants what the heart wants." Edward informed knowingly with mock seriousness, "Who am I to stand in the way of true love? I wouldn't be able to live with myself; knowing I was the one thing keeping you two love birds apart."

"You'd be a great friend if you did. Teenage love is so time-consuming. How would I ever focus on my school work?"

"Well I suppose if your grades were at stake..."mused Edward thoughtfully.

"Oh they are."

"In that case, I will back tomorrow after school to answer your questions and then once that is finished... We will expand that great lump of Eric Yorkie filled grey matter of yours." With that he turned to leave for the third time.

"Wait!"

Edward stopped once more, but did not turn around, "What is it now?"

"What made you change your mind; about us? I thought were determined to keep me at arms length?"

He walked back up to her bed. He crunched down beside the bed so that her eye met his. He caressed the side of her cheek. Angela flinched. She could feel that there was something wrong with his gesture and the look he gave her.

He sighed and stood up again, "Save it for tomorrow."


End file.
